During pregnancy the baby that is being harbored is a very vulnerable being. What the mother eats, the baby eats; what the mother breathes, the baby breathes.
Smoking is alike to what you are breathing in. Cigarettes contain over 2,500 chemicals that you are burning and inhaling, whether it’s you puffing on the cigarette or breathing in secondhand smoke. Smoking has been proven to increase some birth risks: pregnancy complications, and risks to your baby.
There are a number of pregnancy complications that smoking will increase. The list of complications includes: Ectopic pregnancy - meaning the embryo gets implanted somewhere else besides the normal area, the uterus, leading to a c-section; placenta complications: one kind of complication is called a placenta previa – the placenta becomes attached too low in the uterus which covers part or all of the cervix – another placenta complication is called a placental abruption – the placenta detaches from the uterine wall before delivery; and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Smoking also increases your baby’s chances of a low birth weight and premature delivery.
Some research indicates smoking may also cause negative effects on the psychological development of the baby. Such as learning disabilities, and behavioral problems like ADHD.
About 13% of pregnant women in the U.S. smoke during their pregnancy. There being 304,117,465 people in the United States. 13% from that would equate to 39,535,270 women smoke during pregnancy. This excludes secondhand smoking
The reason why I wrote this is because a girl at my work, age 23, is pregnant with a baby. Her boyfriend and she broke up before any of them knew she was pregnant, though that most likely would not have affected their relationship since they are not planning to get back together. She is a smoker and hasn’t quit yet even with another living, breathing, human being inside her. She is 14 weeks into her pregnancy, meaning her baby is partially developed already. The baby being able to grab, frown, squint, pee and possibly suck his/her thumb.
She claims she is “trying” to quit and that she only smokes one cigarette a day. Though, I am doubtful as to any of the words that spill from her lips since she is a chronic liar. It was due to her lying all the time that caused the split between her boyfriend and her. I just find it sad how something, in this case cigarettes, can control someone’s life.
