Smoking And Pregnancy

The Effects of Smoking on Pregnancy

Smoking is one of those addictions that are very easy to pick up, but very tough to let go of. Almost every smoker knows what toll smoking can take on their health. And yet quitting is something that very few of us consider seriously. However, there are times when you need to think about more than just yourself. Being pregnant is exactly such a situation.

Smoking can be very harmful for your baby if you continue smoking when you are pregnant. Smoking adds greatly to the chances of cancer, and your baby is subjected to the same risk when you smoke while you are pregnant. In fact, smoking during pregnancy can leave your baby with challenging health issues, sometimes with disabilities that stay with them all through their lives.

When you smoke during pregnancy, your baby finds it difficult to get the required amount of oxygen while it is still a fetus. This can lead to severe damage to the lungs and heart of the fetus. Sometimes such denial of oxygen can make it impossible for the baby to go through the process of birth. Excessive smoking may leave the baby too weak, and it may not make it through the child birth.

Smoking may result in the child being born with lifelong breathing troubles like asthma and other chronic illnesses. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in babies can also be a direct effect of mothers smoking during pregnancy. This prevents the child from being able to focus and concentrate on any activity, and generally leaves the child affected all through their lives.

Smoking during pregnancy has also been seen to give rise to problems like premature child birth and lower birth weight than what is normal. It is therefore never a good idea to be smoking while you are pregnant. Give your baby a chance to be born fit and healthy. At the same time, pregnancy can be a great reason to think about quitting this addiction once and for all.

There are a number of natural stop smoking aids available today if you seriously want to give up. Try something reliable to stop smoking even before you are pregnant, and decide on a healthier life for both you and your baby.