Smoking and Pregnancy

Smoking and Pregnancy

IMPORTANT FACTS

 

When you smoke, your baby gets less oxygen and nutrients. This can cause your baby to grow more slowly and gain less weight in your womb. Babies with a lower-than-average birth weight tend to have more health problems. And the more you smoke, the higher the risk that your baby will have complications during the
perinatal period (just before, during and just after birth). This is  true for babies exposed to second-hand smoke too.

Cigarette smoking exposes your baby to over 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke

Fifty of these are associated with cancer.

Exposure to tobacco smoke affects your baby for life

Your baby may have learning problems, more ear infections and more colds and breathing problems. Being born small can affect your baby’s health into adulthood.

Smoking during pregnancy will increase the risks to your own health too

For example, you have a greater chance of having a miscarriage than a non-smoker. During the birth, you are more likely to have complications.

Second-hand smoke is just as bad

Second-hand smoke contains the same toxic chemicals and carcinogens that smokers inhale. Children regularly exposed to second-hand smoke are at least 50% more likely to suffer damage to their lungs and to develop breathing problems such as asthma. When you breathe in second-hand smoke, you have a greater risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, breathing problems and irritation of the eyes, lungs and throat.