The Effects of Smoking During Pregnancy on Your Child

Most women know if they smoke while pregnant they are putting their unborn child at risk. They may not know, however, the full extent of that risk. Woman who smoke while pregnant put their child at risk for a long list of negative consequences. The fetus can even suffer negative effects if you inhale second hand smoke. It’s no longer just about protecting yourself but also protecting your unborn child. There are many safe methods available to help you quit as well as support systems if you don’t have support at home. Keep reading to learn more about the effects smoking while pregnant can have on your unborn child.

Did you know that all of the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide you inhale is being transferred to your baby. The second hand smoke you are passing on to your baby are damaging to its lungs in a number of ways. There are a multitude of complications that can result from lung damage. The chemicals you send into your baby’s blood stream displaces the oxygen and can bind it in other reactions. this oxygen is necessary for more than just development it’s necessary for life.

There is an interesting trend among babies of smoking mothers. Babies with smoking mothers have a higher heart rate than those of babies whose mothers didn’t smoke. Smoking mothers have babies with heart rates that are about 30% higher than nonsmokers. This is speaking specifically about women who smoked during pregnancy. Knowing exactly why this condition exists is difficult. Part of the reason may be that the smoking prevented the baby from receiving the normal amount of oxygen.

The possibilities are endless and negative when a pregnant mother smokes. Cigarette smoking is the main culprit and it can be broken down further into more specific causes.

Nicotine constricts blood vessels when it is present in the blood, this happens to the baby as well. There is less oxygen in the blood due to reduced blood flow. The baby’s brain and cardiovascular system will be compromised.

This should be a tremendous cause for concern for women who smoke while pregnancy.
The negative effects of smoking on her baby are numerous and are not completely understood. This article has focused mainly on the effects on the unborn baby but these same effects don’t go away after birth. The consequences associated with smoking while pregnant can affect the child well into adulthood. Many of the dire consequences of smoking while pregnant have lifelong effects. This is why it is extremely important to quit smoking for the sake of both the mother and the baby. This information was brought to you by http://www.discountsnowboardgear.org, your source for all things related on discount snowboard gear.

See Also:

  • June 15, 2011 -- The Possible Damage Smoking during Pregnancy can Cause for Your Child
    If you are smoking while you are pregnant you could be putting your baby at risk. You may not realize it but there are many problems that go right down the line including adverse effects during birth and even after. Many women will not heed our advice to quit immediately upon discovering they are pr...

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