Sanford Clinic Women's Health

Smoking and Your Pregnancy

In the United States today, approximately 11-20% of women smoke during pregnancy. Smoking cigarettes causes many health problems for the mother, but for a pregnant woman, it also puts her growing baby at risk. Because the baby's blood stream is in contact with the mothers, smoking cigarettes exposes a baby to approximately 2500 different chemicals.

Affect on mother:

First of all, a woman should consider how smoking affects her own risk. Smokers have an increased risk for:

  • Cancer
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Emphysema
  • Infertility

Affect on a pregnancy before birth:

Smoking significantly decreases the chance of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. Smoking causes the baby to get less oxygen than usual which causes the baby to grow slower than normal. In addition, it can cause a variety of problems including:
  • Placenta previa-placenta covers part of the opening of the uterus
  • Placental abruption-placenta peels away from uterus
  • Contributes to the increased rate of stillbirth
  • Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM)
  • Water breaks early, often resulting in a premature baby
  • Nicotine can directly impair lung development
  • Increases the risk for miscarriage and Ectopic pregnancies
  • Affects the genetic material of the baby
  • Changes found in the region of DNA associated with blood cancers
  • Possible increased risk for malformations like spina bifida and cleft lip

Affect at birth and in the newborn period:

Smoking nearly doubles a woman's risk of having a low-birth weight baby. In addition, it increases the risk for having a baby prematurely. Low birth weight and prematurity increases the risk for serious health problems during the newborn period, life long disabilities and even death. Other problems associated with maternal smoking include:
  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • 3 times more likely if mother smokes
  • Respiratory infections
  • Asthma
  • Ear infections
  • Lower than normal IQ
  • Shortened attention span

Long term affects on a Child:

The long term affects of smoking on a baby are still being discovered. For example, studies have found that children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to have decreased IQs and are more likely to have learning difficulties. The studies found that this was not due to socioeconomic status or other contributing factors but instead had a direct correlation with smoking during pregnancy.

Other long term affects include:

  • Hyperactivity
  • Girls exposed are 5 times more likely to have adolescent drug dependence
  • Males exposed are 4 times more likely to have conduct disorders and more likely to commit crimes than males born to non-smokers
  • Childhood obesity
  • Decreased school performance
  • Short stature
  • Recurrent lung infections

Affect of smoking on a child after birth:

Second-hand smoke can be more dangerous than inhaling smoke through a filtered cigarette. Second-hand smoke contains 4000 chemicals and exposes a child to twice as much nicotine and tar and five times more carbon monoxide than the smoke a person smoking inhales. A person exposed to second-hand smoke is at increased risk for cancer, lung disease, and for an unhealthy lifestyle. Some people believe that smoking outside of the house will not expose their children to these harmful chemicals. While smoking outside does decrease the exposure, it does not eliminate it. For example, studies have shown that children, who live in homes of smokers who smoke outside the home 100% of the time, have 8 times more nicotine in their bodies than the children of nonsmokers. In addition, another study showed that families who report taking steps to limit smoke exposure by smoking outside, only 18% actually always banned smoking in the home. No matter where a parent chooses to smoke, children who live in the home of smoking parents are more likely to have:
  • Ear infections
  • Lung infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia
  • SIDS
  • Immune systems which are underdeveloped
  • Lower test scores in reading, math, and reasoning skills

Will you consider quitting?

For most smokers, it is very difficult to stop. Primarily, this is because most smokers become addicted to the nicotine contained in tobacco products. In addition many smokers will experience withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and depression. Other reasons include an emotional and social attachment to smoking. The good news is that you are not alone. Many organizations have been established to help smokers find a way to quit.

These organizations include:

South Dakota Quit Line: 1-866-737-8487
http://www.smokefree.gov/ 
American Lung Association: 1-800-lungusa
http://www.march/ of Dimes  
www.cdc.gov/tobacco

These organizations list tips that you may find helpful:

  • Writing out reasons for quitting
  • Choosing a "quit day"
  • Ask a friend to hold you accountable
  • Talk to your health care provider about quitting aids

If you are pregnant, consider quitting smoking today. The sooner you quit, the more likely that your baby will have a healthy life. It is never too late to quit, though, as studies show that quitting even in the third trimester can have a positive affect on the long term cognitive ability of your baby. In addition, deciding to quit will increase your life expectancy and lower your risk for many different diseases including cancer.

 

Quitting smoking is not easy.

Do it for yourself.

Do it for your baby.

For the references used please click here.