Smoking can drastically increase the heart rate of a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Smoking also increases the likelihood of a miscarriage, still birth or premature birth.
Step 1
Make a doctor's appointment. A primary care physician or an obstetrician can provide pregnant women with helpful smoking cessation tools. Don't be afraid to talk to a doctor about smoking cessation issues. A practitioner can be a helpful ally in the smoking cessation process.
Step 2
Meet with a counselor or seek online counseling through the National Quit Smoking Support website (see Resources). An August 1998 article in the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" reported that an analysis of more than 56 studies found that patients who underwent less than three minutes of counseling had a 10.7 percent success rate. Patients who underwent more than 10 minutes of counseling had an 18.7 percent success rate.
Step 3
Create a support system. People with support tend to be more successful when quitting smoking. Ask a friend or loved one to let you call them whenever you need support. Or ask a loved one to help you institute a reward system, such as dinners out for days without a cigarette.
Step 4
Consider the use of nicotine replacement products. The use of products such as the nicotine patch or nicotine gum is controversial during pregnancy because the fetus is exposed to nicotine. But if the pregnant woman believes she cannot quit without help, replacement nicotine is still safer than smoking. Talk to a doctor about the safest nicotine replacement product to use during pregnancy.
Step 5
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Things You'll Need
- Nicotine replacement
