Many mothers-to-be struggle with the idea of continuing their smoking habit during pregnancy.
On one hand, they don't want to hurt their baby.
But on the other hand, they have this very ingrained habit which they have used as a coping mechanism for daily life.
It's difficult to simply stop smoking when you know you're going to be pregnant.
When making any decision, it helps to know the consequences.
And the consequences of smoking during pregnancy are many.
Here is what you want to know about how smoking affects you and your baby during pregnancy What Cigarette Smoke does to your Baby Probably the most significant risk cigarettes pose to your baby during pregnancy is in the form of reduced oxygen.
Nicotine and Carbon monoxide work together to restrict the umbilical cord and blood vessels throughout your body.
This can cause anything from stunted growth to birth defects, miscarriage, premature birth, even stillbirth.
After your baby is born it can continue to affect him or her by increasing risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, causing withdrawal symptoms, and affecting cardiovascular capacity for the rest of their life - along with any stunting or defects that may have occurred.
How Smoking Affects Your Body During Pregnancy As if these potential risks to your unborne child weren't enough, cigarettes don't stop there.
You also face problems in your own body.
Any mother who thinks a smaller child may be better for birth will be surprised to learn their smoking habit can greatly disrupt normal birthing.
It does this through Placenta Previa and Placental Abruption.
In the former, your placenta changes position to cover most or all of the opening in your uterus.
In Placental Abruption, the placenta pulls away from the uterine wall almost entirely.
In addition to birthing problems, smoking mothers-to-be (and fathers) may also face fertility problems - as the same chemicals which affect fetal development can cause infertility in both genders, and changes in chromosones.
Why it's Never too Late to Quit Smoking If you are already smoking during pregnancy, it is still possible to greatly reduce the risk of side effects by quitting now.
Some studies indicate that quitting during the first trimester is associated with no increased risk of premature birth or stillbirth.
Also by quitting early, you can prevent your baby from having a lifetime of smoking by serving as a good role model when they get older.
After all, by the time they're in highschool, fewer people will be smoking than at any other time in history.