How can smoking harm your unborn baby

Our free guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up and get yours today. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke. Updated March National Institutes of Health.

Myths: Smoking and pregnancy. Association between cigarette smoking behavior and infertility in women: A case-control study. Biomed Res Ther. The effects of cigarette smoking on male fertility. Postgrad Med. Maternal smoking and the risk of still birth: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BMC Public Health. Secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy: A cross-sectional analysis of data from Demographic and Health Survey from 30 low-income and middle-income countries. Tob Control. Shobeiri F, Jenabi E. Smoking and placenta previa: A meta-analysis.

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Increased risk of preterm premature rupture of membranes at early gestational ages among maternal cigarette smokers. Amer J Perinatol. Maternal active smoking during pregnancy and low birth weight in the Americas: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Nicotine Tob Res. Reproductive Health. Infant Mortality. Association between maternal smoking, gender, and cleft lip and palate. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. Maternal smoking before and during pregnancy and the risk of sudden unexpected infant death. Effect of cigarette smoking in pregnancy on infants anthropometric characteristics. Mater Sociomed. Pulmonary effects of maternal smoking on the fetus and child: Effects on lung development, respiratory morbidities, and life long lung health.

Paediatr Respir Rev. According to the American Cancer Society , women who quit smoking before getting pregnant lower their risk of having a baby with a low birth weight. Even women who stop smoking during their pregnancy are less likely to have babies with low birth weight than women who keep smoking.

Smoking during pregnancy raises the risk of your baby being born with birth defects. The most common types of problems are congenital heart defects and problems with the structure of the heart. Other health issues that have been linked to smoking while pregnant include cleft lip and cleft palate.

Many pregnant women still smoke despite the known risks the habit will create for themselves and their babies. According to the CDC, 10 percent of women report that they smoked during the last three months of pregnancy. The only real way to avoid pregnancy complications associated with smoking is to quit. If you smoke and are planning to get pregnant or are pregnant right now, here are some resources to help you quit:. Experts say the benefits from e-cigarettes to people to stop smoking tobacco cigarettes outweighs the risks from teen vaping.

Experts say some manufacturers may not be aware of some of the chemicals in their products. Those chemicals may raise the health risks from vaping. Experts say nicotine withdrawal can cause people trying to quit smoking to select foods high in carbohydrates and sugar, causing them to gain weight. About 17 percent of high school students in a new survey were listed as "triple users" of marijuana, cigarettes, and e-cigarettes. Experts say people taking the anti-smoking drug Chantix should continue taking the medication until they can talk with their doctor about alternatives.

Experts say that fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke can exacerbate lung-related health conditions and increase the risk of COVID Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Getting pregnant. A message has been sent to your recipient's email address with a link to the content webpage. Your name: is required Error: This is required. Your email: is required Error: This is required Error: Not a valid value. Send to: is required Error: This is required Error: Not a valid value.

Smoking and fertility For both women and men, quitting smoking increases your fertility. Women who smoke can have: difficulty in conceiving early onset of menopause higher risk of cervical and vulvar cancer Men who smoke may have: trouble getting and maintaining an erection lower sperm count damage to DNA in sperm causing health problems in your baby How smoking affects your baby Smoking during pregnancy exposes your baby to harmful chemicals.

Smoking while pregnant can result in a far higher risk of: miscarriage , stillbirth or ectopic pregnancy premature birth low birth weight damage to your baby's heart and lungs After your baby is born, there are still health and developmental risks if you or other household members smoke. These include: around three times higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome SIDS respiratory disorders such as asthma increased risk of obesity increased risk of childhood cancers, high blood pressure and allergies middle ear disease Smoking and breastfeeding When you smoke, nicotine and other harmful chemicals are passed on to your baby through breast milk.

Passive smoking Other people's smoke can harm both mother and baby. Support to give up smoking Totally quitting smoking is the best goal, but you might find it easier to cut down on your smoking to begin with. Methods that work include: going cold turkey - simply stopping works for many people using Quitline resources mobile apps, such as Quit for you - Quit for two support from family and friends prescription medication not recommended for pregnant women nicotine replacement therapies Medications that help to manage withdrawal symptoms — such as Champix varenicline or Zyban bupropion — are not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

They are readily available from pharmacies and some supermarkets, and come in two categories: steady response products, such as nicotine patches quick response products, such as chewing gum, lozenges, tablets and inhalers Using NRT products is safer than smoking, but it is important to discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor or pharmacist and follow their advice.

It might take you a few goes to quit. It does for most people. But it's worth it to keep trying. Back To Top. Smoking, pregnancy and breastfeeding - NT.

AU Smoking during pregnancy, passive smoking and why you should quit smoking. Information on passive smoking and your health. Call us and speak to a Maternal Child Health Nurse for personal advice and guidance. Need further advice or guidance from our maternal child health nurses? Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site Internet Explorer 11 and lower We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

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Find out more about the effects of smoking in pregnancy, and getting support to quit, at Start4Life. Find more advice on how to stop smoking. Find stop smoking services near you. Sign up for Start4Life's weekly emails for expert advice, videos and tips on pregnancy, birth and beyond. Page last reviewed: 7 November Next review due: 7 November Home Pregnancy Keeping well in pregnancy Back to Keeping well in pregnancy. Stop smoking in pregnancy. Smoking and your unborn baby Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life.

Benefits of stopping smoking in pregnancy Stopping smoking will help both you and your baby immediately. When you stop smoking: you will reduce the risk of complications in pregnancy and birth you are more likely to have a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby you will reduce the risk of stillbirth your baby is less likely to be born too early and have to face the breathing, feeding and health problems that often go with being premature your baby is less likely to be born with a low birth weight.

Babies of smokers are, on average, g about 8oz lighter than other babies, which can cause problems during and after labour. For example, they are more likely to have problems keeping warm and are more likely to get infections you will reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome SIDS , also known as "cot death". Secondhand passive smoke harms your baby If your partner or anyone else who lives with you smokes, their smoke can affect you and your baby before and after their birth.

Nicotine replacement therapy You can use nicotine replacement therapy NRT during pregnancy if it will help you stop smoking and you're unable to stop without it. NRT is available as: patches gum inhalator nasal spray mouth spray oral strips lozenges microtabs If you have pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting, patches may be a better solution.

Liquorice-flavoured nicotine products Pregnant women are advised to avoid liquorice-flavoured nicotine products. Find out more about stop smoking treatments.