The dangers of smoking have been well-known for decades. Despite the risks, the CDC estimates that as of 2014, 40 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes and more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease.
As shocking as the numbers are, consider that if a pregnant woman smokes these stats increase by one person. Cigarettes contain a myriad of harmful chemicals, the side effects of which are just as varied. Smoking while pregnant causes countless problems for the baby and should be avoided at all costs. But why?
What Smoking Does
Some of the more deadly substances in cigarettes are carbon monoxide, nicotine, tar, cyanide, and lead. Each of these elements is a killer in and of itself, but when inhaled into the lungs, they mix into the bloodstream, which is the only source of nutrition for the baby. Anything the mother brings into her body will also go into her baby’s body.
Nicotine and carbon monoxide in particular work in tandem to reduce the baby’s supply of oxygen, narrowing the blood vessels in the mother’s body, including those within the umbilical cord. In addition, blood that should be carrying oxygen is now carrying carbon monoxide instead.
The Side Effects of Smoking during Pregnancy
The more an expectant mother smokes while pregnant, the greater the chance her baby will suffer. According to Web MD, smoking during pregnancy will:
- Decrease the amount of oxygen reaching the baby.
- Increase the baby’s heart rate.
- Raise the probability of a miscarriage or a stillbirth.
- Up the chances of the baby being born prematurely or with an unhealthy
- Increase the baby’s risk of future respiratory problems.
- Increase the occurrence of birth defects.
- Put the baby at a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Lifelong Problems
Lack of oxygen is proven to decrease a baby’s growth and development. Smoking can double the chances that a baby will be born too early, weigh less than the safe amount, or even stunt their growth for life.
Undersize babies have underdeveloped bodies. Their lungs haven’t had the chance to grow and strengthen, which means they will spend their first couple of weeks attached to a respirator. If they survive, it’s likely they will have chronic breathing problems. They will also have a higher risk of developing asthma.
If an expectant mother smokes during the first trimester, the baby could have a higher chance of developing heart problems. In a 2011 study, published by the CDC, these babies’ chances of contracting congenital heart defects were 20 to 70 percent higher than those of babies from non-smoking mothers. It is much more preferable to use a vaporizer for weed as a crutch to stop yourself from smoking during these periods.
If your baby is lucky enough to live through infancy, they could have lifelong brain defects including learning disorders, behavioral problems, and low IQs. Cleft lips and palates have also been documented in babies whose mothers smoked while pregnant.
What to Do
The most obvious preventative is not to smoke while pregnant. If you’re a smoker, quit before conception. Besides increasing your chances of getting pregnant, you won’t have to worry about quitting while focusing on other important tasks like eating well and exercising.
Consult your doctor with additional questions or for advice about the most effective strategies to quit. A nicotine addiction doesn’t have to be a factor if you work to end it.