subject: Smoking In The Course Of Pregnancy Has Hidden Dangers. [print this page] If you are smoking while you are pregnant you could be putting your baby at risk. There are a number of problems including but not limited to adverse risks during and after pregnancy. If you smoke and learn that you are pregnant, the ideal time to quit is immediately. However, we realize that not all mothers will quit immediately which is unfortunate. You are your baby can both benefit from quitting smoking. Once you've made the decision to quit seek out a support group to help you succeed. We will discuss some of the very real risks and dangers caused by smoking during pregnancy.
Were you aware of how much tar and nicotine you pass on to your baby each time you inhale? There is a range of lung complications that a baby can develop due to the mother smoking while pregnant. In short, the second hand smoke, inside the womb, will damage the baby's lungs. Complications are likely when lung damage has been caused. The effects of those chemicals in the blood stream of your baby can cause the oxygen to bind or displace. In order for us to live we have to have oxygen and babies need it to develop correctly too,
There is an interesting statistic involving infants whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. Babies with smoking mothers have a higher heart rate than those of babies whose mothers didn't smoke. A baby born to a smoking mother will have a heart rate that is about 30% higher than a baby whose mother doesn't smoke. This applies to women who smoked during pregnancy. The exact cause of this condition is difficult to know. Smoking can prevent the baby from receiving the normal amount of oxygen which could be part of the cause.
The possibilities are endless and negative when a pregnant mother smokes. If you break down the culprits you will find that cigarette smoking is a major one.
The effects of nicotine can constrict your blood vessels. When you blood vessels reduce blood flow your heart rate has to increase to compensate. But the decreased blood oxygen serves to compromise the baby's brain as well as cardiovascular system. It's a fact that you cannot avoid the risks of smoking while pregnant and they are potentially severe. You aren't giving your child a fair chance to decide what they put into their bodies, instead you are thrusting smoke upon them. If you plan to nurse after the baby is born avoid smoking then too as the nicotine affects breast milk too. It's ultra important for you to quit and we hope to have given you the motivation to do so. Discuss quitting with your physician he'll have some great advice.
These suggestions may be helpful for yourself as well as for your child while in and soon after the pregnancy. However, if you are not pregnant at this time and you are searching for ways that will help you to choose your own baby's gender before conception, in that case take a look at the sites down the page for a few suggestions.
