When you are pregnant, everything you're exposed to also affects your developing baby. By maintaining a healthy diet and abstaining from smoking, alcohol and drugs while pregnant, you can help ensure that your baby will be born healthy and strong. The March of Dimes, however, reports that in the United States at least 10 percent of women smoke cigarettes while pregnant. If you are pregnant, consider the effects of smoking during pregnancy before you decide to light up.
Low Birth Weight
If you smoke while you are pregnant, your risk of delivering a low-birth-weight baby almost doubles, according to estimates provided by the March of Dimes. Women who smoke while pregnant might often do not consume enough nutrients to meet the needs of the developing baby. Infants with low birth weight are often delivered prematurely, which can cause additional problems involving physical and cognitive development. Low-birth-weight babies are at an increased risk of developing certain health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, learning difficulties or mental retardation.
Placental Complications
Women who smoke during pregnancy are at a significantly increased risk of developing placental complications. The placenta is a membrane full of blood vessels that lines the uterus during pregnancy and enables nutrients to be passed from your body to your developing baby. If you smoke while you are pregnant, you could develop placenta previa or placental abruption. Placenta previa is a condition in which the placenta lies abnormally low within the uterus and blocks the opening of the cervix. Placental abruption is a condition that causes the placenta to peel away from the uterine wall prior to delivery. If either of these placental complications occur, you might develop abdominal cramping or extensive vaginal bleeding during delivery, which can be life-threatening for both you and your baby. These placental complications may also increase the likelihood that your baby will need to be delivered by cesarean.
Stillbirth or Neonatal Death
Smoking during pregnancy increases your risk of stillbirth or neonatal death by 33 percent, says Dr. Krisa van Meurs, associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. Stillbirth is a medical term that describes the birth of an infant who has died while in the uterus. Neonatal death refers to the death of an infant within the first month following delivery. If this occurs, it can be markedly traumatic for the mother, father, family members and even close friends. Speak with your obstetrician or family doctor if you have any questions regarding how you can stop smoking during your pregnancy.
