Baby Making

Smoking during pregnancy plays a great part in the unborn child's health. There are statistics that show a fetus is definitely in danger if mothers continue smoking even just a stick a day.

Babies born to mothers who constantly smoke during the duration of the pregnancy has about 30% risk of being born not within the usual term. They may weigh less than 2,500 grams which is a very dangerous weight for neonates. The most disturbing of these factors is the likelihood of babies dying from SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Due to low birth weight these infants may acquire infections easily which could result to death if not treated properly.

Women who are pregnant or have hopes to get pregnant should be aware of the effects of smoking on their health. For those women who would like to get pregnant, they must remember that smoking prior to pregnancy may cause in a delay in conception. Statistics back up this claim with 30% of women surveyed experiencing difficulty in getting pregnant. This also shows higher odds of infertility for women smokers.

On the other hand, those women who are already pregnant and are continuously smoking may suffer from the following: membranes rupturing prematurely, placenta previa or even placental abruption, whereas women who quit smoking years or even months prior to pregnancy experience reduced risk during the entire term.

There is also available literature on pregnant mothers exposed to secondhand smoke and this doesn't look good. According to PRAMS or Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (2004), in 26 states surveyed, pregnant women who were exposed to secondhand smoke is 20% more likely give birth to babies with low birth weight. This is just like the effects on babies of smokers.

So even though pregnant women take great pains not to smoke there is still a great likelihood that their babies will be born prematurely and below the normal weight if they inhaled smoke coming from other people. So there is really no safe way but to completely avoid smoking and/or being near smokers while pregnant.

Pregnant women are given an easy choice as to their unborn child's health. That is, to quit smoking. For those who cannot live without it, then moderation would be best. It is really just a small price to pay for the babies' health. There are babies with extremely healthy parents who come out in this world severely crippled or disfigured. Quitting smoking is really a small price to pay.