Bethesda, MD—As you decide what to get dad for Father's Day, you
might want to consider what he gave you when you were conceived.
If he smoked, your genes are likely damaged, and your odds for
cancers and other diseases throughout your life could be
increased. A new research report appearing online in the FASEB
Journal, scientists show for the first time in humans that men
who smoke before conception can damage the genetic information
of their offspring. These inherited changes in DNA could
possibly render an offspring in the womb susceptible to later
disease such as cancer. This provides evidence showing why men
should be urged to stop smoking before trying to conceive in the
same way women have been urged to quit. Interestingly, a fertile
sperm cell takes about three months to fully develop; therefore
men would ultimately need to quit smoking long before conception
to avoid causing genetic problems. "That smoking of fathers at
the time around conception can lead to genetic changes in their
children indicate