Most people know smoking causes cancer and other major health problems. Do those people know what smoking can do to a fetus? A mother must make many decisions while she is pregnant and smoking should not be one of them. Why would a mother who loves her unborn child want to harm him or her? Smoking while pregnant can causes issues with the mother throughout the pregnancy, birth defects with the baby, and other lifelong health issues.
If a mother chooses to smoke while pregnant she increases the risks of something not going right throughout her delivery. Studies show that 12-20 percent of pregnant women smoke throughout their pregnancy (American Pregnant Association, 2015). Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals and at least 60 cancerous compounds. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risks of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and many other adverse pregnancy outcomes (Erlingsdottir 2014). Preterm delivery is when labor starts too early which can also lead to premature birth. She also increases the risk of having a miscarriage or a stillbirth. Miscarriage is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy, and stillbirth is when a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy (March of Dimes …show more content…
Over 1,000 babies in the United States die each year because their mothers smoked while pregnant (American Pregnant Association, 2015). Smoking lowers the amount of oxygen available to the baby. It also increases the baby’s heart rate. Babies have the risk of having a cleft lip when born if the mother smokes. They also could have a low birth weight, less than 5 pounds 8 ounces (March of Dimes Foundation, 2015). Low birth weight babies are at greater risk of death and are more vulnerable to infection, breathing difficulties and long-term health problems. Prenatal nicotine exposure can alter lung development as well (Abbott,
If a mother chooses to smoke while pregnant she increases the risks of something not going right throughout her delivery. Studies show that 12-20 percent of pregnant women smoke throughout their pregnancy (American Pregnant Association, 2015). Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals and at least 60 cancerous compounds. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risks of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and many other adverse pregnancy outcomes (Erlingsdottir 2014). Preterm delivery is when labor starts too early which can also lead to premature birth. She also increases the risk of having a miscarriage or a stillbirth. Miscarriage is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy, and stillbirth is when a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy (March of Dimes …show more content…
Over 1,000 babies in the United States die each year because their mothers smoked while pregnant (American Pregnant Association, 2015). Smoking lowers the amount of oxygen available to the baby. It also increases the baby’s heart rate. Babies have the risk of having a cleft lip when born if the mother smokes. They also could have a low birth weight, less than 5 pounds 8 ounces (March of Dimes Foundation, 2015). Low birth weight babies are at greater risk of death and are more vulnerable to infection, breathing difficulties and long-term health problems. Prenatal nicotine exposure can alter lung development as well (Abbott,