3 Reasons Why Smoking During Pregnancy
is Not Recommended
You
already know that smoking is not good for you.
You probably have tried to quit many times in the past, but it just did
not work out. If you are thinking of
getting pregnant or are already pregnant, it may be time to revisit why smoking
during pregnancy is not a good idea.
Knowing that your baby is counting on you may be all the motivation you
need to give up the habit for good this time!
Here
are 3 reasons why soon-to-be pregnant or expecting mothers should give up
smoking:
1. Lower Birth Weights
Women
who smoke are twice as likely to have children of low birth weights.
Why
is this?
Unfortunately,
when you smoke, so does your baby.
Tobacco smoke contains around 4000 harmful chemicals, such as carbon
monoxide, arsenic, nicotine, and formaldehyde!
In addition, at least 70 of the chemicals in cigarettes are known to
cause cancer.
These
chemicals smother and reduce the amount of nutrition and oxygen your baby gets,
resulting in less growth in utero and a lower birth weight.
Another
reason for low birth weight is that women who smoke increase their chances of
having pre-term labor and having a premature infant.
2.
Increased Risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
SIDS
is the name given when an infant less than a year old suddenly dies, usually
during sleep. This infant was seemingly
healthy.
Although
SIDS also occurs in babies of non-smoking mothers and households, there is an
increased risk for babies who are exposed to smoke in utero and/or after
birth. This risk increases with the
number of cigarettes smoked.
Although
the causes of SIDS are not fully understood yet, it seems that tobacco smoke
may affect the development of the baby's nervous system. The nervous system includes the brain, where
breathing is regulated. Smoking is also
linked to sleep apnea (pauses in breathing) in infants.
If
you are unable to quit smoking fully during pregnancy, it is recommended that
you at least significantly reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke in order
to reduce the chances of SIDS.
3.
Increased Risk of Medical Complications For The Expecting Mother & Baby
Placenta
Previa –
The
placenta covers part or all of the cervical opening within the uterus in this
serious condition. Placenta Previa can
result in heavy bleeding, putting the mother at risk of shock or need for blood
transfusions. Early labor may also
result, and if labor cannot be stopped with medications, an early delivery
means potential health complications for the baby.
Placenta
Abruptio -
This
is another serious condition in which the placenta separates from the wall of
the uterus. It can occur after an injury
such as a fall, but it also happens more in women who smoke during
pregnancy.
In
conclusion, it is clear that smoking during pregnancy is not recommended. A few reasons why this is so, have been
outlined above. If you have had a hard
time quitting, knowing some of the reasons why smoking is not good for your
baby may make it easier to stick to your decision to quit. After all, you have one shot to provide the
best uterine environment for your child – now is the time to do it!
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