Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals---69 of which are cancer-causing---and all of these pass to your unborn baby through your bloodstream. They pose numerous health risks to you and your child, and the impact will last throughout your child's life. If you continue to smoke through your pregnancy, your child is more likely to have chronic physical health issues as well as difficulties with reading and social adjustment.
Reduces Oxygen and Bloodflow
The carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke blocks the absorption of oxygen into your bloodstream, which means your baby is deprived of oxygen. This slows the baby's growth and may affect the development of vital organs. Nicotine crosses the placenta and levels inside your baby's body may be even higher than in your bloodstream. Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict and thus reduces blood flow to your baby. Nicotine will continue to pass to your baby through your breast milk after delivery.
Causes Placenta Complications
Smoking doubles your risk of two pregnancy complications relating to the placenta, according to the March of Dimes. Placental abruption is a condition in which the placenta disattaches from the wall of the uterus. This causes heavy bleeding responsible for 15 to 25 percent of all fetal deaths after the 20th week of pregnancy, according to Standford University researchers. Placenta previa is the implantation of the placenta in a position abnormally low, which may block the opening of the uterus. This may cause delivery complications, including heavy bleeding, which may endanger both you and your baby.
Increases Risk of Premature Birth
Smoking during pregnancy increases your chances of premature rupture of the membranes, or PROM, a condition where the sac that holds your baby breaks before the normal completion of your pregnancy. This will cause you to go into labor within a few hours. If PROM happens before you reach your 37th week of pregnancy, your baby will be premature, which may pose serious health risks.
Leads to Infant Mortality
Your risk of miscarriage or the death of your baby during delivery is 50 percent higher if you smoke, according to QuitSmoking.com. If you smoke, your baby also is 2 1/2 times more likely to die of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. You can reduce these risks significantly if you stop smoking by your fourth month of pregnancy, points out QuitSmoking.com. Smoking during pregnancy also doubles the risk of low birth weight, a leading cause of infant mortality.
Causes Longterm Impact
If you smoke during pregnancy, your baby is more likely to suffer birth defects, according to the March of Dimes. Heart defects are especially likely and the risk of your baby having a heart defect increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke. Also, babies born prematurely or with low birth weight---two conditions associated with smoking---are more likely to have lifelong disabilities, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, according to the March of Dimes. Smoking during pregnancy also reduces your baby's lung function, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
