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Nov 25, 2022 · Smoking while pregnant can lower your baby's oxygen, increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, and birth defects. Learn how to quit smoking, avoid secondhand smoke, and cope with withdrawal symptoms.
- Overview
- Getting pregnant
- Miscarriage and stillbirth
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Placental abruption
- Placenta previa
- Preterm birth
- Low birth weight
- Birth defects
- The unfortunate truth
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Smoking and pregnancy
Smoking and pregnancy don’t mix. Smoking while pregnant puts both you and your unborn baby at risk. Cigarettes contain dangerous chemicals, including nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar. Smoking significantly increases the risk of pregnancy complications, some of which can be fatal for the mother or the baby. Learn about the risks of smoking while pregnant.
If you smoke and want to get pregnant, quitting the habit should be a priority. Smoking can prevent you from getting pregnant in the first place. Even in the first trimester smoking affects the health of your unborn baby. Both male and female smokers are about twice as likely to have issues with fertility compared to nonsmokers, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Secondhand smoke is just as dangerous to the fetus. The Environmental Protection Agency has classified secondhand smoke as a group A carcinogen. That means it’s known to cause cancer in humans.
The unexpected loss of a pregnancy is a tragic event at any stage. Miscarriages typically occur in the first three months of pregnancy. On rare occasions, they can occur after 20 weeks of gestation. This is called a stillbirth.
According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking raises the likelihood of both early miscarriage and stillbirth. The dangerous chemicals in cigarettes are often to blame.
According to a study published in the journal PLoS One, nicotine can cause contractions in the fallopian tubes. These contractions can prevent an embryo from passing through. One possible result of this is an ectopic pregnancy. This happens when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, either in the fallopian tube, or in the abdomen. In thi...
The placenta is the “lifeline” structure that forms during pregnancy to provide the fetus with nutrients and oxygen. Smoking is a major risk factor for several complications linked to the placenta. One such problem is placenta abruption. This is a condition in which the placenta separates from the uterus before childbirth. Placenta abruption can ca...
Smoking is also a risk factor for placenta previa. During pregnancy, the placenta normally grows in the uterus towards the top of the womb. This leaves the cervix open for delivery. Placenta previa is when the placenta stays in the lower part of the uterus, partially or fully covering the cervix. The placenta often tears, causing excessive bleeding...
According to the CDC, smoking during pregnancy can cause preterm birth. That’s when a baby is born too early. There are numerous health risks associated with a preterm birth. These can include:
•visual and hearing impairments
•mental disability
•learning and behavioral problems
Smoking can also cause babies to be born with a low birth weight. This doesn’t just mean delivering a small baby. Low birth rate can also lead to other health problems and disabilities. Advances in medical care have reduced the number of deaths as a result of low birth weight. But it’s still a serious condition that can result in:
•developmental delay
•cerebral palsy
•hearing or vision ailments
In extreme cases, low birth weight can cause the death of the newborn.
According to the American Cancer Society, women who quit smoking before getting pregnant lower their risk of having a baby with a low birth weight. Even women who stop smoking during their pregnancy are less likely to have babies with low birth weight than women who keep smoking.
Smoking during pregnancy raises the risk of your baby being born with birth defects. The most common types of problems are congenital heart defects and problems with the structure of the heart. Other health issues that have been linked to smoking while pregnant include cleft lip and cleft palate.
Many pregnant women still smoke despite the known risks the habit will create for themselves and their babies. According to the CDC, 10 percent of women report that they smoked during the last three months of pregnancy. The only real way to avoid pregnancy complications associated with smoking is to quit.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, placental abruption, placenta previa, preterm birth, low birth weight and birth defects. Quitting smoking before or during pregnancy can lower these risks and improve your and your baby's health.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for your baby, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, cleft lip and more. Learn how to quit smoking and get support from Cleveland Clinic experts.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause low birth weight, preterm birth, placental problems, and increased risk of still birth and miscarriage. Learn about the health consequences of prenatal smoke exposure and how to quit smoking with treatment and support.
Jul 9, 2021 · Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for you and your baby, such as birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight, and SIDS. Learn about the risks, the long-term effects, and the tips for quitting smoking while pregnant.
- Karen Miles
May 23, 2022 · Smoking slows your baby’s growth before birth. Your baby may be born too early (premature birth). Premature babies often have health problems. 5. Smoking can damage your baby’s developing lungs and brain. The damage can last through childhood and into the teen years. 4. Smoking doubles your risk of abnormal bleeding during pregnancy and ...
May 15, 2024 · But quitting at any time during pregnancy is helpful. It can help protect a pregnant person's health and give babies a healthier start on life. 5. Quitting smoking: 5. During pregnancy reduces the effects of smoking on the baby's growth. Before or during early pregnancy reduces the risk for a small or lower birth weight baby.
