Rachel Devine's infertility problems disappeared in a puff of smoke after her husband James gave up cigarettes to boost his chances of becoming a father. The self-employed electrician was warned by a specialist that his 30-a-day £45-a-week habit was ruining the Rotherham couple's chances of parenthood.
Desperate to be a father after three fruitless years of trying, Mr Devine tossed his lighter in the bin, enrolled on an NHS anti-smoking course and took to wearing nicotine patches straight away.
Mrs Devine found out she was expecting just eight weeks later – and now the couple are celebrating the arrival of baby Ben at Rotherham District General Hospital.
Mrs Devine paid tribute to her other half yesterday for beating the weed and coming up trumps in the paternity stakes.
The florist, 29, said: "I'm just grateful that James listened to the specialist and did the right thing – if he hadn't then Ben probably wouldn't be here now.
"I'd been nagging him to stop smoking for ages and ages, and he'd manage it for two or three weeks, then he'd slip back to his old ways.
"I didn't imagine he'd ever really give up, but everything changed once the specialist spelled out how it was damaging our chances of having a baby."
Mr Devine signed up for the anti smoking course within minutes of leaving the specialist's office at the hospital.
Mrs Devine added: "We'd been having tests and treatment for 16 months when the specialist asked James about his smoking.
"We'd not given it a thought till then, but the specialist said there was every chance that the cigarettes were damaging James's sperm count."
Mr Devine, 31, has no intention of lighting up ever again. "I hope other smokers take notice of what happened to us. It's not been easy, but I only have to look at Ben to know it was all worthwhile.
"I'll never pick up another packet of cigarettes again – apart from the cost, I want to be around to see Ben grow up."
