Birth Defects

Risks Of Smoking During Pregnancy

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We have known that the effects of smoking during pregnancy endangers unborn children for decades. Smoking is often a part of your life, whether you smoke or not. It can be a detrimental factor in anyone’s life but particularly for a developing fetus.

Surveys show that many mothers smoke during their pregnancy. The mothers often believe that it does not affect their baby at all. Sometimes these are mothers that do not care for their unborn child, but more frequently they simply are not educated or aware of the great dangers smoking poses to their baby. They might quit if they knew that smoking is one of the major causes of infant deaths in the world today.

Mothers who smoke while pregnant run a risk of ectopic pregnancy. This is especially true when the mother is a heavy smoker during the first trimester of her pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy happens when the embryo implants outside the uterus, often in the fallopian tubes. When ectopic pregnancy occurs, the pregnancy has to be terminated because this kind of pregnancy will never go to full term. This fetus will never survive outside of the uterus where a fetus gets all the nourishment and protection that it needs. Prolonging an ectopic pregnancy will also risk the mother’s life.

Smoking also increases the probability that the mother will develop complications with her placenta. Reports show that placental problems occur in about 1% of pregnancies. The most common problem is “placenta previa” where the placenta is connected very low in the uterus and partially or completely blocks the cervix which obstructs the birth canal and the baby must be delivered by C-section or both the mother and the babies lives are at risk.

Another problem is the deterioration of fetal growth. Smoking during pregnancy results in low infant birth weight. For many years now, reports show that there had been significant difference between babies with smoking mothers than those who have non-smoking mothers. There is a correlation between low birth weight and certain conditions like cerebral palsy and mental retardation. They are also more likely to die of SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome. Babies born to smoking mothers are also at increased risk of developing asthma, behavioral problems or learning disabilities.

The dangers from smoking mothers does not end at childbirth. This is especially true for babies who are breastfed by smoking mothers. Studies have revealed that nicotine can be passed on to the baby through breastfeeding. There had been experiments that proved the presence of nicotine in the babies system through urine testing. It later showed that higher percentage of nicotine was found on babies who breastfeed from smoking mothers.

Most experts contend that the problem lies within the mother’s urge to get back to smoking right after they gave birth. They say that it is safe now because the baby was born already. They insist that they stopped smoking during their pregnancy.

Babies should be given the right to live a decent, normal, and healthy life. To all smoking mothers out there: please remember that there are many harmful effects of smoking during and after pregnancy. Give your baby the very best start by simply not smoking.

Author: Tina Dean
About the author: For more information about how to give up smoking please visit www.giveupsmokingforever.com so that you and your child can have healthier lives.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/superfantastic/166215927/

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