Pregnancy is an excellent time to quit smoking. It is hazardous to you and even more so for your precious little one. Here are some reasons to put the cigarette down...
Facts About Smoking During Pregnancy:
When you smoke... so does your baby. When you smoke you inhale poisons such as nicotine, lead, arsenic and carbon monoxide. These poisons get into the placenta, which is the tissue that connects you to your baby and sends oxygen and nutrients and eliminates wastes. These poisons keep your baby from getting the proper supply of nutrients and oxygen that he or she needs to grow.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause low-birth weight, preterm delivery, and infant death. Smoking during pregnancy is estimated to account for 20 to 30 percent of low-birth weight babies, up to 14 percent of preterm deliveries, and about 10 percent of all infant deaths according to American Lung Association.
Second-hand smoke CAN cause problems for your baby. According to the American Lung Association, new studies have shown that if a woman is around second-hand smoke during pregnancy, there are added risks. You have a greater chance of having a baby that weighs too little and may have health problems.
There can be long term health risks for your baby. Smoking during pregnancy can cause your baby to have more colds, lung problems, learning disabilities, and physical growth problems.
If a mother continues to smoke after the baby is born, the baby may get more colds, coughs, and middle-ear infections. Babies have very small lungs, and smoke from cigarettes makes it harder for them to breathe. This can cause the baby to get bronchitis and pneumonia.
Third-hand smoke can cause serious issues for babies and young children. Recent studies are now linking babies and young children exposed to third-hand smoke have increased risk of asthma, breathing problems, learning disabilities and cancer. Third-hand smoke is the contamination that that occurs from cigarette smoking. These toxins build up over time, one cigarette at a time. You cant see third-hand smoke like you can first and second hand smoke, but it has serious affects just the same. Third-hand smoke is made up of gasses and toxins that remain in peoples clothes and hair, in carpet, furniture and drapes. Because babies and young children's brains are still developing, they are much more susceptible to any levels of toxins. And because young children are often closer in proximity to the surfaces that absorb these layers of toxins (and they are also more likely to put their mouths on room surfaces), this makes these contaminated surfaces more dangerous to them than adults. Pregnant women and young children should try to stay away from any places where smoking occurs.
Nicotine replacement therapy such as the patch can still affect your baby. Before using any nicotine replacement or cessation aids, you should discuss it with your health care provider. You and your provider can discuss what is more beneficial for you and your baby.
The only way to avoid these issues is to quit smoking and not be around smokers-- there really is no other way around it. For more information and tips on how to quit, please visit: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/smoking.html
Comment Reply
Hi Anon,
Great Question.
Pregnancy is an excellent time to quit smoking. It is hazardous to you and even more so for your precious little one. Here are some reasons to put the cigarette down...
Facts About Smoking During Pregnancy:
When you smoke... so does your baby. When you smoke you inhale poisons such as nicotine, lead, arsenic and carbon monoxide. These poisons get into the placenta, which is the tissue that connects you to your baby and sends oxygen and nutrients and eliminates wastes. These poisons keep your baby from getting the proper supply of nutrients and oxygen that he or she needs to grow.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause low-birth weight, preterm delivery, and infant death. Smoking during pregnancy is estimated to account for 20 to 30 percent of low-birth weight babies, up to 14 percent of preterm deliveries, and about 10 percent of all infant deaths according to American Lung Association.
Second-hand smoke CAN cause problems for your baby. According to the American Lung Association, new studies have shown that if a woman is around second-hand smoke during pregnancy, there are added risks. You have a greater chance of having a baby that weighs too little and may have health problems.
There can be long term health risks for your baby. Smoking during pregnancy can cause your baby to have more colds, lung problems, learning disabilities, and physical growth problems.
If a mother continues to smoke after the baby is born, the baby may get more colds, coughs, and middle-ear infections. Babies have very small lungs, and smoke from cigarettes makes it harder for them to breathe. This can cause the baby to get bronchitis and pneumonia.
Third-hand smoke can cause serious issues for babies and young children. Recent studies are now linking babies and young children exposed to third-hand smoke have increased risk of asthma, breathing problems, learning disabilities and cancer. Third-hand smoke is the contamination that that occurs from cigarette smoking. These toxins build up over time, one cigarette at a time. You cant see third-hand smoke like you can first and second hand smoke, but it has serious affects just the same. Third-hand smoke is made up of gasses and toxins that remain in peoples clothes and hair, in carpet, furniture and drapes. Because babies and young children's brains are still developing, they are much more susceptible to any levels of toxins. And because young children are often closer in proximity to the surfaces that absorb these layers of toxins (and they are also more likely to put their mouths on room surfaces), this makes these contaminated surfaces more dangerous to them than adults. Pregnant women and young children should try to stay away from any places where smoking occurs.
Nicotine replacement therapy such as the patch can still affect your baby. Before using any nicotine replacement or cessation aids, you should discuss it with your health care provider. You and your provider can discuss what is more beneficial for you and your baby.
The only way to avoid these issues is to quit smoking and not be around smokers-- there really is no other way around it. For more information and tips on how to quit, please visit: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/smoking.html
Best wishes,
Rosa
June 28, 2011 - 8:05amThis Comment
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