Cigarette smoking speeds menopause among women – expert

Research among postmenopausal women has indicated that cigarette smoking is one of the factors responsible for the attainment of menopause at 45 years, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Jos, Amaka Ocheke, has said.

Ocheke who teaches O & G in the Faculty of Health Sciences in UNIJOS stated these while delivering the 106th inaugural lecture of the institution titled, ‘The Odyssey of the Nigerian Uterus: Bumps, Potholes and Accidents.

Also contrary to beliefs that trace infertility to only one gender, she said both male and female contribute to infertility among couples.

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“Infertility affects 10-15 percent of couples, but in Nigeria, it affects 20-30 per cent. About 30 percent of infertility is due to female problems, 30 per cent due to male problems, and 30 per cent due to combined male/female problems, while in 10 per cent, there is no recognisable cause”, the UNIJOS don said.

She also said that Yoruba ethnic nationality has the highest rate of twin pregnancy which is the commonest type of multiple pregnancies, especially among blacks, while in Nigeria, about 10-20 per cent of all pregnancies end as ‘miscarriages.’

“Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) is a pregnancy that ends spontaneously before the fetus has reached 28 weeks in Nigeria. About 10-20 per cent of all pregnancies end as miscarriages”, Ocheke stated.