| For so many years now we have know that smoking | | | | with smoking mothers than those who have |
| while pregnant is not healthy, but smoking has been a | | | | non-smoking mothers. |
| part of our lives, regardless of whether we smoke or | | | | Greater risks are imposed on babies who relatively |
| not. And for that it has been a detrimental factor in | | | | weigh less than the normal babies. They may acquire |
| everybody's lives; sad to say, that includes the | | | | certain diseases like cerebral palsy, mental retardation, |
| unborn babies. | | | | and the worst is death. |
| Surveys show that many mothers are still smoking | | | | There are also reports on how smoking increases the |
| while pregnant. They contend that it does not affect | | | | probabilities of birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft |
| their baby at all. In most instances, these are the | | | | palate. |
| mothers that do not care for their unborn child, | | | | Moreover, babies born with mothers who were |
| because if they did they would know that smoking | | | | smoking while pregnant have higher incidences of |
| poses great danger during pregnancy. They would | | | | sudden infant death syndrome. If ever these infants |
| know that it is currently one of the major causes of | | | | survive, they may still incur diseases like asthma, |
| infant deaths in our society today. If your smoking | | | | behavioral problems, or learning disabilities. |
| while pregnant, you are more likely to birth a child | | | | After the child is born, it doesn't get any better for |
| who is underweight. Low birth weight babies are at | | | | babies with mothers who were smoking while |
| greater risk for childhood and adult illnesses and even | | | | pregnant, they still face problems after birth within |
| death. Babies of smokers have less muscle mass and | | | | their environment. Infants eighteen months and |
| more fat than babies of non smokers, the child is | | | | younger who have second hand smoke surrounding |
| also more likely to develop respiratory problems later | | | | them in their houses are responsible for up to three |
| in life. | | | | hundred thousand cases of pneumonia and bronchitis. |
| Basically, cigarette smoke alone is full of chemicals, | | | | Studies have revealed that nicotine can be passed on |
| some studies even state it has more than 2,500 | | | | to the baby through breastfeeding. There had been |
| chemicals. Some chemicals like tar, carbon monoxide, | | | | experiments that proved the presence of nicotine in |
| and nicotine were considered as the most dangerous | | | | the babies system through urine testing. It later |
| substance for the fetus. It has long been proven | | | | showed that higher percentage of nicotine was |
| how these chemicals can greatly affect the | | | | found in babies who were breastfeeding by smoking |
| development of the fetus inside the mother's womb. | | | | mothers. |
| Mothers who smoke while pregnant run a risk of | | | | Most experts contend that the problem lies within |
| ectopic pregnancy. This is especially viable when the | | | | the mother's urge to get back to smoking right after |
| mother is a heavy smoker during the first trimester | | | | they gave birth. They contend that it is safe now |
| of her pregnancy. | | | | because the baby was born already. They still insist |
| Ectopic pregnancy refers to the state wherein the | | | | that they, in fact, stopped smoking during their |
| embryo is embedded outside the uterus, which is | | | | pregnancy. |
| contrary to what normal pregnancy should be. | | | | The concluding scenario here is that when the |
| Usually, it is embedded in the fallopian tube. In this | | | | mother continues to smoke during the formative |
| manner, the fetus has to be removed because this | | | | years of her child, chances are she is already shaping |
| kind of pregnancy will never survive. This fetus will | | | | a child that will most likely be a smoker themselves. |
| never survive outside of the uterus where a fetus | | | | That is, if the child can endure the dangers smoking |
| gets all the nourishment and protection that it needs. | | | | can do with his or her health. |
| Prolonging this condition will only risk the mother's life. | | | | So, what's the point here? The fact that the mother |
| Smoking while pregnant will increase the probability | | | | does not care for her own health is one thing. But |
| that the mother will develop complications in the | | | | the fact that she puts greater risk on her baby |
| placenta. Reports show that placental problems are | | | | because of her vice is another thing, and that it is |
| actually happening in about 1% of pregnancies. The | | | | the most saddening part. |
| most common problem is placenta previa where the | | | | Babies should be given the right to live a decent, |
| placenta is connected very low in the uterus and is | | | | normal, and healthy life. So, for mother's out there, |
| almost in the cervix. | | | | please bear in mind that aside from the long range |
| Another problem is the deterioration of fetal growth. | | | | dangers associated with smoking your babies should |
| Smoking during pregnancy results in low infant birth | | | | not suffer. Let's take care of them simply by not |
| weight. For so many years now, reports show that | | | | smoking. |
| there had been significant difference between babies | | | | |