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Quit Smoking
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Smoking In Pregnancy
If you are
currently pregnant or have plans to conceive, then it is important
that you realize what smoking does to you and your unborn baby during
and after your pregnancy. When
you smoke, carbon monoxide displaces the oxygen in your blood, leaving a lower concentration of oxygen
in your blood to provide for yourself and
your baby. Your placenta then begins to spread throughout the uterus, in an
attempt to draw more oxygen and nutrients from other parts of the
uterus. As a result, it becomes thin and unhealthy, while depriving your unborn baby of oxygen
and nutrients essential for healthy development.
Smoking in pregnancy
puts you at high risk of
-
Miscarriage
-
Ectopic
pregnancy
-
Fetal defects
-
Stillbirth
-
Placenta
previa,
a deadly situation where the placenta
covers the cervix
-
Abruptio
placenta, another serious condition where the placenta separates from the wall of
the uterus, preventing oxygen from reaching the fetus
-
Premature
labor
-
Complications
in premature babies
-
Poorer
learning capabilities in growing baby
-
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
or cot death in babies
Below are some common
questions about smoking in pregnancy.
-
I'm well into my pregnancy,
does it still matter whether I quit smoking?
Yes.
The earlier you quit, the quicker you stop the damage to your
unborn baby. Your unborn baby has a better chance of surviving
healthily once you quit smoking.
Furthermore,
after your baby is born, secondhand smoke is deadly to your baby
and can lead to increased risk of SIDS, colds, ear infections,
asthma and many other
complications. So when you quit smoking, you not only protect your
baby's health during pregnancy, but also afterwards.
-
What if my partner
smokes?
Exposure to secondhand smoke still
puts you and your unborn baby at risk to its harmful effects.
So
encourage your partner to quit smoking. Provide him with your support where possible. You can
obtain online information on helping others quit smoking here.
Do not give up, because they may just give quit smoking a try, for your sake and the sake of your
unborn baby.
If
your partner still refuses to quit smoking, make sure that he does not smoke
around you or your baby.
-
What
are the complications of having a smaller baby?
Smoking
may lead to low birth weight babies, which are generally smaller
than normal babies.
Unfortunately, smaller
babies are unhealthy and are at constant risk of deadly
conditions. They need to eat more, sleep more and may require frequent
hospitalization due to their generally poor health. This will
affect both their physical and mental development.
-
How
long before the pregnancy should I quit smoking?
Quit
immediately. The longer before your pregnancy, the better. It easier to get through smoking now, than when you
are always battling with hormonal changes during
pregnancy.
Furthermore
the earlier you quit smoking, the faster your body recovers from
the damaged done by smoking. When your health and blood
circulation improves, your unborn baby can develop normally and
healthily.
Since
there are so many problems related to smoking in pregnancy, I have
decided not to conceive anymore by taking contraceptive
pills.
Do
you know that by taking contraceptives while smoking puts
you at a very high risk of developing acute stroke? Stroke
can cause weakness or paralysis in one half of your body and this
can totally affect your daily activities. You may experience
vision disturbances and difficulty to eat and talk. Stroke may not
kill, but it can kill your life completely.
No
matter which way you go with smoking, no place can shield
you from its harmful effects. Realize that the only way that you can
save yourself and your harmful baby from a lifetime of pain and
torment, is by quitting smoking completely.
**References
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