Ten percent of women smoke during pregnancy according to the March of Dimes. Pregnant women who smoke are inhaling at least 4000 different chemicals which can potentially cross the placenta and affect the unborn baby. In particular, nicotine and carbon monoxide have been identified as causing poor pregnancy outcomes. Women who smoke during pregnancy are exposing their unborn child to significant morbidity and mortality.
Low Birthweight
Women who smoke during pregnancy double their chances of having a low-birthweight baby. The March of Dimes states that smoking causes preterm birth and slows fetal growth. Babies with low birthweight are at risk for mental retardation, learning difficulties and even death. If women stopped smoking by the end of their second trimester, their risk of having a low-birthweight baby would be the same as a non-smoker.
Stillborn Death
The U.S. Public Health Service estimates that if every woman who is pregnant in the United States stopped smoking there would be an 11 percent reduction in stillborns and a 5 percent reduction in newborn deaths. According to Dr. Krisa Van Meurs of Stanford University School of Medicine and a Professor of Pediatrics women who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of newborn mortality by 33 percent. The Center for Disease Control states that babies born to mothers who smoke are at risk for Sudden Infant Death.
Withdrawal and Addiction
The National Institute of Drug Abuse notes that newborns of mothers who smoked during pregnancy display withdrawal symptoms. Irritability, restlessness, difficulty consoling and increased sensitivity to touch are symptoms of withdrawal in a newborn. It also notes that infants of mothers who smoked more than one pack a day during pregnancy had children who were more likely to become addicted to cigarettes if the child started smoking. Children exposed to perinatal smoking were also more likely to have learning disabilities and behavior problems.
