Dhaka, Oct. 21 -- Scientists have identified a series of genetic changes triggered by cigarette smoke exposure that could help explain how smoking harms fertility in both men and women, The Independent reports.

Researchers at the Universities of Nottingham and Sheffield exposed male and female mice to cigarette smoke extract at varying doses over 12 weeks, examining the structure of their reproductive organs and the activity of genes within them. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers.

In female mice, the physical structure of ovarian follicles -- the structures in which eggs develop -- showed little change even at higher exposure levels. However, researchers detected gene activity shifts resembling those seen in ovarian a...