If you smoke while you are pregnant, you put both yourself and your unborn child at risk for significant health complications, according to the American Cancer Society. Your unborn baby relies upon you for necessary oxygen, nutrients and blood. The toxic ingredients that are found in cigarettes can make it difficult or impossible to provide your baby with these essentials. If your unborn baby is regularly exposed to cigarette toxins, he or she is at an increased risk of birth defects, health problems or death.
Low Birth Weight
One of the most documented effects of tobacco use during pregnancy is that babies born to mothers who smoke typically weigh less than babies of mothers who don't smoke or use tobacco products. According to Krisa Van Meurs, who works as an assistant professor at Stanford University, if you smoke during pregnancy, your baby may weigh around half a pound less, on average, than babies of non-smoking mothers. Your baby may also tend to be shorter at birth if you smoke during pregnancy.
Placental Complications
Fetal exposure to nicotine during pregnancy may cause placental complications. Placental abruption and placenta previa are two of the most common placental complications, according to Dr. Spock. Placental abruption occurs when the placenta separates from your uterine wall, and placenta previa occurs when the placenta covers all or part of your cervical opening. Both conditions increase the odds of delivery by C-section and place you at an increased risk of bleeding during the pregnancy. Placental abruption often leads to fetal distress, your baby being born prematurely, vaginal bleeding late into the pregnancy or fetal death.
Premature Labor and Delivery
Giving birth to the baby prematurely or suffering a miscarriage or stillbirth is a devastating effect that can happen when you smoke during your pregnancy, according to the March of Dimes. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, the baby may not fully develop, causing your body to reject the pregnancy. When this happens, the end result is typically a miscarriage. If your baby develops normally, smoking may still negatively affect the pregnancy later, leading to risky premature labor and delivery. If medical treatment and bed rest do not work to stop the early labor, an emergency delivery may be required. Babies born prematurely are at higher risk for health complications.
