Video Transcript
Smoking can have a negative effect
on the female and male reproductive systems. Which of the following is a
possible impact of smoking on the reproductive system? (A) It increases the likelihood of
females releasing more than one ovum a month. (B) It increases the thickness of
the uterus lining before a fertilized egg implants. (C) It prevents the sex hormones
from functioning properly. (D) It increases the speed at which
sperm cells move.
This question is asking us about
the impact of smoking on the female and male reproductive systems. Before answering, let’s briefly go
over these systems and how human reproduction works.
The job of the male reproductive
system is to make sperm and deliver it to the female reproductive system. Sperm is made in the testes, also
called the testicles, and mixes with different secretions to make a fluid called
semen. Semen can be ejaculated from the
penis during sexual intercourse into the vagina. You can see the vagina here as part
of the female reproductive system. The sperm in the semen can then
move toward the Fallopian tube, where it can fertilize an egg cell that was produced
by one of the ovaries. The fertilized egg can then implant
in the lining of the uterus and start a pregnancy.
To function properly, both the male
and female reproductive systems use special chemical messengers called sex
hormones. In males, a major hormone is called
testosterone. This hormone is responsible for the
development of the male reproductive system. This is produced in the testes. In females, estrogen plays a part
in releasing a single egg cell each month during ovulation. This is produced by the
ovaries.
Smoking cigarettes can upset the
balance of these sex hormones. And this can cause problems with
our reproductive health. Smokers may have trouble getting
pregnant or have an increased risk of miscarriage if they are pregnant.
Therefore, the option that best
describes the impact of smoking on our reproductive health is given by answer choice
(C). Smoking prevents the sex hormones
from functioning properly.
