Monday, June 27, 2011

Smoking Effects on the unborn child and the pregnant mother

Cigarettes and tobacco smoke affect the mother’s body in many ways which in turn affect the baby. The baby in the womb depends on the mother’s body for oxygen supply and nourishment.

When a pregnant lady smokes tobacco, the oxygen in her blood is replaced by carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous chemical that makes a baby's heart work harder. The baby growth rate slows down and heart rate speeds up. The baby’s movements reduce greatly for up to thirty minutes after the mother lights up a cigarette.

Low birth weight babies need intensive care and there is a strong likelihood that the baby’s development will be hampered in the future.

There are over 4000 chemicals in a cigarette. There are 30 known carcinogens which are the strongest cancer causing agents. Nicotine in a pregnant woman’s body alters her blood pressure and heart rate. Consequently blood flow to the womb and to the baby is also reduced.
This hampers the fetal growth and also leads to a higher risk of spontaneous abortion and premature delivery.

Smoking amongst pregnant mothers is surprisingly high at 23% in the UK alone. There is a 27% higher chance of miscarriage amongst smokers. The risk of a low birth weight babies is also three times higher.

Smoking during pregnancy also leads to causing asthma as the children get older. Substance abuse is also greater among the children of smokers than non-smokers. Give up on smoking before it gets too late on you and your newborn. For more details on natural quit smoking techniques visit the website – www.niconot.com

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Statistics on Tobacco Smoking

Statistics and researches reveal that the estimated number of tobacco smokers was around 1.22 billion a decade ago. By 2010, the number has risen to 1.45 billion and it is expected to touch 1.9 billion in 2025. This indicates that a shocking number of tobacco smokers exist worldwide. What is it that makes tobacco so addictive? The tobacco smoke that is inhaled by the smoker contains various active substances that enter the body. These active substances trigger chemical reactions that increase heart and memory rates. This is why eventually it gets very addictive and hard to give up.

Smoking affects different parts of the body organs because of the carcinogens and mutagens that it is known to contain. These are cancer-causing agents that harm the body greatly. Tobacco contains polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons that damage the lungs, mouth and gums. Other substances that are present in tobacco lead to bladder cancer and lung disorders. The radioactive carcinogens are responsible for causing cancer of the lungs; pancreas and mouth. All the harmful substances cause different disorders like heart attacks, emphysema, laryngeal cancer, pancreatic cancer and more.

Nicotine is a very addictive chemical that is neither carcinogenic nor mutagenic. It has been regarded as a cause of stroke, impotence, and heart disorders.
Also, the life expectancy of a smoker is much less. According to the WHO, a smoker dies every 6.5 seconds.

Quit smoking for the better now and live a long and healthy life. For more details on safe herbal supplements to quit smoking forever – visit the website www.niconot.com