Smoking and Pregnancy

If you are currently pregnant or have plans to conceive, then it is important that you realize what smoking does to  you and your unborn baby during and after your pregnancy. 

When you smoke, carbon monoxide displaces the oxygen in your blood, leaving a lower concentration of oxygen in your blood to provide for yourself and your baby. Your placenta then begins to spread throughout the uterus, in an attempt to draw more oxygen and nutrients from other parts of the uterus. As a result, it becomes thin and unhealthy, while depriving your unborn baby of oxygen and nutrients essential for healthy development.

Smoking in pregnancy puts you at high risk of 

• Miscarriage

• Ectopic pregnancy

• Fetal defects

• Stillbirth

• Placenta previa, a deadly situation where the placenta covers the cervix

• Abruptio placenta, another serious condition where the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus, preventing oxygen from reaching the fetus

• Premature labor 

• Complications in premature babies

• Poorer learning capabilities in growing baby 

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or cot death in babies

Below are some common questions about smoking in pregnancy.

1. I'm well into my pregnancy, does it still matter whether I quit smoking?

   Yes. The earlier you quit, the quicker you stop the damage to your unborn baby. Your unborn baby has a better chance of surviving healthily once you quit smoking. 

   Furthermore, after your baby is born, secondhand smoke is deadly to your baby and can lead to increased risk of SIDS, colds, ear infections, asthma and many other complications. So when you quit smoking, you not only protect your baby's health during pregnancy, but also afterwards.

    

2. What if my partner smokes?

   Exposure to secondhand smoke still puts you and your unborn baby at risk to its harmful effects. 

   So encourage your partner to quit smoking. Provide him with your support where possible. Do not give up, because they may just give quit smoking a try, for your sake and the sake of your unborn baby. 

   If your partner still refuses to quit smoking, make sure that he does not smoke around you or your baby.

    

3. What are the complications of having a smaller baby?

   Smoking may lead to low birth weight babies, which are generally smaller than normal babies. 

   Unfortunately, smaller babies are unhealthy and are at constant risk of deadly conditions. They need to eat more, sleep more and may require frequent hospitalization due to their generally poor health. This will affect both their physical and mental development.

    

4. How long before the pregnancy should I quit smoking?

   Quit immediately. The longer before your pregnancy, the better. It easier to get through smoking now, than when you are always battling with hormonal changes during pregnancy. 

   Furthermore the earlier you quit smoking, the faster your body recovers from the damaged done by smoking. When your health and blood circulation improves, your unborn baby can develop normally and healthily.

    

5. Since there are so many problems related to smoking in pregnancy, I have decided not to conceive anymore by taking contraceptive pills. 

   Do you know that by taking contraceptives while smoking puts you at a very high risk of developing acute stroke? Stroke can cause weakness or paralysis in one half of your body and this can totally affect your daily activities. You may experience vision disturbances and difficulty to eat and talk. Stroke may not kill, but it can kill your life completely. 

No matter which way you go with smoking, no place can shield you from its harmful effects. Realize that the only way that you can save yourself and your harmful baby from a lifetime of pain and torment, is by quitting smoking completely.  

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