There is no doubt that smoking affects both female and male fertility. In women cigarette smoke is harmful to her ovaries and the longer that she has been a smoker the more harm is done. Smoking accelerates the loss of eggs and reproductive function and may cause menopause to advance by several years. The toxins in cigarette smoke interfere with the ability of the cells in the ovaries to create estrogen which causes the egg to be more likely to develop genetic abnormalities. There is also an increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. If a smoker does manage to produce a baby it is more likely to have a low birth weight or be premature. And the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is higher in a household where someone is a smoker.