Pregnancy is a magical time, a moment of total dedication and, above all, great responsibility. After all, it is through maternal care that the fetus will grow and develop properly, coming into the world healthy.
But what happens when the mother has unhealthy habits that compromise not only her own health, but now her baby’s as well? Here we discuss the problems and risks caused by smoking during pregnancy.
Difficulty Quitting Addictions
We all know how hard it is to quit an addiction, no matter what it is. But when there is a bigger reason and something truly precious at stake, every effort is worth it to win this fight.
Smoking is one of the main causes of high death rates related to respiratory problems, cancer, and lung conditions in both men and women, and increasingly affects children and adolescents.
And when it occurs during pregnancy, the problem can get even worse, leading to miscarriages, bleeding, premature birth and even the baby being born underweight, as well as increased risks of physical and mental problems.
The carbon monoxide and nicotine used in the production of cigarettes are absorbed by the mother’s body and the developing fetus, whose heart rate increases immediately because their cardiovascular system is being activated.
Main Risks
Smoking during pregnancy is also responsible for high rates of malnutrition, as it directly reduces appetite, affecting the fetus’s weight gain, in addition to being a strong factor in causing hypoglycemia, which leads to severe headaches during pregnancy and elevated cholesterol levels.
The use of tobacco during pregnancy also impacts the respiratory systems of both mother and child, decreasing lung capacity and generating future problems in the affected area. But the worst consequence of smoking during pregnancy is the chemical dependency the baby may develop.
Because the baby’s development occurs while exposed to nicotine, newborns may crave the substance in their bodies, causing excessive crying and unexplained irritability, which is also known as tobacco withdrawal.
Pregnant Smoker – How to Quit?
Even though it is known that smoking during pregnancy is very harmful to the fetus, experts do not recommend that a pregnant woman quit smoking abruptly. This is because when quitting, the body goes through a detoxification and withdrawal process in which all the nicotine that was consumed is released into the bloodstream until it leaves the body, coming into direct contact with the fetus.
For this reason, the best advice for women who smoke and wish to become pregnant—or are already trying—is to quit smoking at least 6 months beforehand, so their bodies are already cleaner.
But if you weren’t able to quit during the trying period, possibly due to the pressure, anxiety, and nervousness of the situation, now you have the biggest reason of all to stop this terrible habit—you are pregnant. Some women find it easier to quit smoking once they discover they are carrying new life, but for others, it may be necessary to seek treatment for help.
Remember, no treatment of any kind should be started without your obstetrician’s knowledge, as some substances used in these treatments, such as the nicotine patch, may contain harmful components during pregnancy.
Nicotine Replacement
Treatments such as nicotine replacement are among the options recommended by specialists, who believe that nicotine replacement poses less risk to fetal development than smoking directly, as the replacement occurs gradually, reducing the amounts until stopping the habit completely.
Support and counseling groups are also an option for moms trying to quit smoking, as well as therapy sessions, acupuncture, and hypnotherapy—which may be more costly but are effective in treatment.
No matter which treatment you choose, the focus is the same! To provide a healthy life, a peaceful pregnancy, and help develop a healthy baby. Quitting the habit won’t be easy, but the effort will be worth it—and ideally, you should not go back to smoking after the baby is born.
Breastfeeding and Cigarettes
After all, during breastfeeding, nicotine is passed to the baby through breast milk, presenting the same health risks as during pregnancy. And since you’ve managed to win this battle, why go back, right? Don’t forget that our children learn by the good examples set by their parents, so how can you expect something from your children that you don’t practice yourself? Offer, encourage, and create healthy habits for your children; that’s the best way to keep kids healthy.
See also: Sudden Infant Death – How to Reduce the Risks
Photo: Steve Driskell, ~zipporah~
