Women who smoke are more likely than smokers to have ectopic pregnancies. The risk of an ectopic pregnancy is about 50% higher for women who smoke than for those who don't. (1)
Sources 1. Saraiya M, Berg CJ, Kendrick JS, Strauss LT, Atrash HK, Ahn YW. Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for ectopic pregnancy. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 1998;178:493-498.
definition
An ectopic pregnancy is one in which the fertilized egg settles and starts to grow in the wrong place -- that is, somewhere other than the uterus (womb). Because the uterus is the only place in which a baby can grow properly, ectopic pregnancies are unsuccessful pregnancies; they don't usually lead to the birth of a baby. In addition, ectopic pregnancies can cause serious medical complications, such as severe bleeding, in the woman, and she may need to have surgery to remove the abnormal pregnancy.
