Smoking and pregnancy do not mix. Smoking causes a variety of health risks to both mother and the unborn child. According to the Quitter Guide website, 20.7 million American women are smokers, and the pregnant women who smoke give birth to 20 to 30 percent of the low birth weight babies annually. Other health risks to the fetus include miscarriage, prematurity and respiratory infections, and other risks such birth defects.
Low Birth Rate
Low birth weight is a common risk to the unborn child of mothers who smoke. Nicotine is a potent vasoconstrictor (contract and constricts blood vessels). This narrowing of the blood vessels reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients transported by the blood vessels to the fetus, causing poor growth, poor weight gain and low birth weight. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center website, infants who weigh less 5.5 pounds at birth are considered to be at a low birth weight.
Miscarriage and Prematurity
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, according to the Net Doctor.co.uk website. A miscarriage usually occurs during the first trimester. It is defined as the abrupt termination of a pregnancy before the 24th week. Smoking may also increase the risk of vaginal bleeding and premature rupture of the vaginal membranes.
Mothers who smoke during pregnancy expose their babies to the risk of being born prematurely. At birth a premature baby is usually at a low birth weight, not well developed and will need care in a neonatal intensive care unit. This decreases the chances of the infant's survival and creates stress to the infant's family.
Infections and Birth Defects
Infants born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy are at risk to develop respiratory, middle ear and other types infections. Maternal smoking also increases birth defects including hare lip and cleft palate, hernia, ear malformation and congenital heart disease.
Considerations
Smoking is detrimental to mothers and unborn children. Secondhand smoke affects others and the environment. Continual education, counseling and support about the effects of smoking to all smokers is the key to preventing the effects of smoking.
