Effects of Smoking while Pregnant
Amber Rickey
Southern State Community College Abstract
It has been proven that smoking significantly increases the risk of numerous pregnancy complications, some of which can be fatal for the mother or baby (Carlson, 2011). If your health isn't enough to make you quit smoking, then the health of your baby should be (Pagano, 2014). Smoking during pregnancy affects you and your baby's health before, during, and after your baby is born (Pagano, 2014). If you smoke, quitting is the best way to give your baby a healthy start (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). If you quit in the first four months of pregnancy, you might lower your risk of having a low birth weight baby to that of a nonsmoking woman (Laughlin-Tommaso, …show more content…
Cigarettes contain dangerous chemicals, including nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar (Carlson, 2011). These chemicals limit the baby's supply of oxygen and the delivery of nutrients (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). You probably know the general risks of smoking — from smelly clothes and wrinkles to heart disease and lung cancer (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). If you smoke and you're planning to become pregnant, however, you have even more incentive to quit (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking appears to have many negative effects on fertility for both men and women, and might make it harder to become pregnant (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking is also linked with a greater risk of ectopic pregnancy — when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking raises the risk of both early miscarriage and stillbirth, with the dangerous chemicals in cigarettes often to blame (Carlson, 2011). Smoking during pregnancy has also been linked with many health problems, including problems with the placenta, a reduction in birth weight, preterm premature rupture of the membranes — when the amniotic sac leaks or breaks before week 37 of pregnancy, premature birth, certain birth defects, pregnancy loss (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking during pregnancy can also affect a baby after he or she is born, increasing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, colic, asthma, and childhood obesity …show more content…
There are so many effects that comes with smoking. Smoking causes miscarriages, birth defects, bad health, etc. A recent Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) study found that smoking in the first trimester of pregnancy raises the risk of heart-related birth defects by 20 to 70 percent (Carlson, 2011). Congenital heart defects (problems with the structure of the heart) are the most common type of problem, but other health issues, including cleft lip and cleft palate, have also been linked to smoking while pregnant (Carlson, 2011). Many pregnant women still smoke. According to the CDC, 13 percent of women report that they smoked during the last three months of pregnancy (Carlson, 2011). Another study found that about one in four women who smoke while pregnant deny it (Carlson, 2011). A 2014 study suggests that supplemental vitamin C taken by women smokers during pregnancy might help reduce some of the negative effects on newborn pulmonary function (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). However, these positive effects were small and found only for the first year of life (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Quitting smoking should be the goal for every pregnant
Amber Rickey
Southern State Community College Abstract
It has been proven that smoking significantly increases the risk of numerous pregnancy complications, some of which can be fatal for the mother or baby (Carlson, 2011). If your health isn't enough to make you quit smoking, then the health of your baby should be (Pagano, 2014). Smoking during pregnancy affects you and your baby's health before, during, and after your baby is born (Pagano, 2014). If you smoke, quitting is the best way to give your baby a healthy start (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). If you quit in the first four months of pregnancy, you might lower your risk of having a low birth weight baby to that of a nonsmoking woman (Laughlin-Tommaso, …show more content…
Cigarettes contain dangerous chemicals, including nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar (Carlson, 2011). These chemicals limit the baby's supply of oxygen and the delivery of nutrients (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). You probably know the general risks of smoking — from smelly clothes and wrinkles to heart disease and lung cancer (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). If you smoke and you're planning to become pregnant, however, you have even more incentive to quit (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking appears to have many negative effects on fertility for both men and women, and might make it harder to become pregnant (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking is also linked with a greater risk of ectopic pregnancy — when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking raises the risk of both early miscarriage and stillbirth, with the dangerous chemicals in cigarettes often to blame (Carlson, 2011). Smoking during pregnancy has also been linked with many health problems, including problems with the placenta, a reduction in birth weight, preterm premature rupture of the membranes — when the amniotic sac leaks or breaks before week 37 of pregnancy, premature birth, certain birth defects, pregnancy loss (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Smoking during pregnancy can also affect a baby after he or she is born, increasing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, colic, asthma, and childhood obesity …show more content…
There are so many effects that comes with smoking. Smoking causes miscarriages, birth defects, bad health, etc. A recent Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) study found that smoking in the first trimester of pregnancy raises the risk of heart-related birth defects by 20 to 70 percent (Carlson, 2011). Congenital heart defects (problems with the structure of the heart) are the most common type of problem, but other health issues, including cleft lip and cleft palate, have also been linked to smoking while pregnant (Carlson, 2011). Many pregnant women still smoke. According to the CDC, 13 percent of women report that they smoked during the last three months of pregnancy (Carlson, 2011). Another study found that about one in four women who smoke while pregnant deny it (Carlson, 2011). A 2014 study suggests that supplemental vitamin C taken by women smokers during pregnancy might help reduce some of the negative effects on newborn pulmonary function (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). However, these positive effects were small and found only for the first year of life (Laughlin-Tommaso, 2015). Quitting smoking should be the goal for every pregnant