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