Not only is smoking bad for the overall health of any female, it is especially bad for her during periods of pregnancy, her cigarette smoking can affect the health of the unborn child, and can even prevent the female from becoming pregnant in the first place.
Pregnant women share their blood stream with the fetus or developing baby, and any contaminants in the blood from cigarette smoke like tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals will have an adverse effect on the unborn child.
A good supply of oxygen is vital to the development of the baby, and since the oxygen is carried by the mother’s blood, any contaminants in the blood will reduce the supply of oxygen to the baby.
Effects of Smoking on Pregnant Women.
- The pregnancy could be ectopic; where the fetus is lying in an unnatural position in the womb.
- Bleeding of the vagina can occur, which if continual and heavy, could result in a miscarriage.
- The placenta could have a tendency to become detached from the wall of the uterine prior to delivery.
- The child could be dead at birth or still born.
There are certain common defects which m ay occur in the new born baby directly caused by the mother being addicted to cigarettes during her pregnancy –
Effects of Smoking on the Baby.
- There is a high risk of the baby suffering from either a cleft lip or palate.
- The baby may not go the full 9 month term but be delivered prematurely.
- The new baby may be underweight at birth and be slow to gain weight during its early months of life.
Any young baby who suffers from being underweight at birth has been found to be highly susceptible to many diseases later on in life. Children who have been delivered prematurely, and of low birth weight, commonly experience forms of very slow mental development and extreme difficulties in learning.
If the mother continues to smoke while nursing the child, then the infant is continually exposed to the effects of ‘passive’ smoking.
The baby will be breathing in second hand smoke. The inhalation of smoke can slow down the development of the infant’s lungs, place the child at a high degree of risk of suffering asthma, bronchitis or other forms of respiratory disease, and may even lead to sudden infantile death.
There are many toxins contained in tobacco smoke and they can infect many items with which the child may come into contact. Apart from the passive smoke passed on by the mother, the small body of the child can readily be exposed to these toxic chemicals which tend to remain on affected articles for a considerable time.
For any potential mother it is far better to give up the habit of smoking, it will not only improve her own general health but avoid the risk of causing ill health to an innocent little baby.