Smoking during pregnancy endangers not only your own health but also the health of your fetus. Babies in the wombs of women who smoke receive less oxygen and nutrition than those whose mother do not smoke. This can cause problems in the fetus’s development leading to increased risks of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm labor, genetic defects, and more. Once the baby is born, he or she may be of low birth weight or be at risk for many health problems like poor lung functioning.
Therefore to protect the health and development of your baby (and also your own health), it is imperative to quit smoking as soon as you know you want to try for a baby. If the pregnancy was unplanned, it is important to stop smoking immediately after finding out you are pregnant.
This video provides information a program run by the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation that designed to help pregnant women quit smoking. If you are pregnant and you smoke, try looking for a similar program in your own neighborhood!
