The headline is broadly defensible, but the qualifications matter. Effect sizes vary by population, the strongest claims rest on shorter trials, and credible voices push back on how it's typically framed.
Well, it turns out that smoking increases what are called reactive oxygen species. This greatly disrupts the quality of the egg at the level of the spindle and mitochondria and a number of other features. And in the sperm, turns out that smoking doesn't necessarily disrupt the sperm directly, although it can cause DNA fragmentation, which can cause all sorts of abnormalities, can prevent fertilization, can lead to birth defects in the offspring.
Every Sunday: the week’s new conflicts and verdict changes — and nothing else.
Native comments, Twitter mentions, and Reddit threads about this claim — surfaced together so the conversation isn't fragmented across platforms.
Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.
Would love a "what would change this verdict" RSS feed. Sign me up if it exists.
But more importantly, it increases what are called reactive oxygen species in the seminal fluid, in the semen that contain the sperm, this very, under normal circumstances, under healthy circumstances, beautifully orchestrated chemistry of fluid that allows the sperm to thrive in their trajectory and attempt to fertilize the egg and lead to a healthy pregnancy.