How Quitting Helps Women’s Health

Physical Benefits of Quitting

Within 20 minutes of quitting, nicotine starts to leave your body and it begins to heal. You’ll get some of these benefits right away. Quitting also improves your health in the years ahead and greatly reduces your risk of smoking related illness. 

It’s never too late to quit—no matter your age or how long you’ve been smoking. But the earlier you quit, the better. Learn what quitting can do for your body. 

Healthier Blood, Heart, and Lungs

• You’ll breathe easier. Within two weeks of quitting, you might notice it’s easier to walk up the stairs because you’re less short of breath.
• Your “smoker’s cough” starts to go away. You might cough more than usual when you first quit. But, this is a sign that the cilia in your lungs are growing—they’re one of the first things in your body to heal after you quit. 
• Quitting can prevent permanent damage to your lungs. Scarring of the lungs is not reversible. But, if you do have lung disease (like COPD) quitting can prevent symptoms from getting worse.
• The oxygen in your blood rises to a normal level. This will make it easier for your heart to pump blood to important parts of your body. 
• Your heart rate and blood pressure lower. This puts less stress on your heart and lowers your risk of heart disease, including heart attacks. 

Stronger Body

• Quitting can keep your bones strong and healthy. Quitting can reduce the risk of fractures now and later in life. This is important because both women and smokers are more likely than men and nonsmokers to get osteoporosis (a disease when your bones become weak and more likely to break).
• Your immune system will become stronger. When you have a strong immune system, you’ll be less likely to get sick. 
• Your muscles will become stronger and healthier. Quitting smoking will help increase the availability of oxygen in your blood, and your muscles will become stronger and healthier. 

Changes You Can See

• Your skin will look healthier. Quitting can help clear up blemishes and protect your skin from premature aging and wrinkling. It will also help wounds heal better. 
• You’ll have a cleaner mouth. Quitting will make your teeth brighter and gums healthier. Your breath will also smell better.  
• Quitting can reduce belly fat and lower your risk of diabetes. If you already have diabetes, quitting can help you manage your blood sugar levels. 
• Your sense of taste and smell will improve. When you quit you’ll taste foods better and you’ll smell things like foods, flowers, and other scents better.

Fewer Fertility Problems and Pregnancy Risks

• Your estrogen levels will gradually return to normal. Low estrogen can cause many problems, such as dry skin, thinning hair, and mood swings.
• Quitting smoking will increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy. Women of a childbearing age who quit smoking are less likely to have problems becoming pregnant. You’ll also lower your risk of certain pregnancy complications that can harm you and your baby, like preeclampsia and placenta previa. 
• Quitting now will increase your chances of having a healthy baby. Quitting at any time during your pregnancy lowers your risk of having a miscarriage. Quitting smoking also gives your baby benefits, like lowering their risk of being born too early, having certain birth defects, or dying from SIDS.