What are the dangers of smoking during pregnancy? Is it possible to smoke during pregnancy - the effect on the fetus (doctors’ opinion)

Contents of the article:

Smoking is one of the most common addictions that causes great harm human health. Due to nicotine addiction, people become weak-willed, worsening their condition every day. IN special category smokers include pregnant women. Often, expectant mothers who smoked before conception cannot get rid of this habit during pregnancy. And this has a very bad effect on the condition of the unborn child.

Gynecologists tell pregnant women about all the “delights” addiction, however, not everyone is able to get rid of it. Many of them are really afraid of the consequences of smoking for the fetus, and therefore they are wondering whether pregnant women can smoke hookah or e-cigarettes. According to doctors, there is no need to look for a replacement; it is better to try to quit smoking correctly.

Smoking during pregnancy: consequences

During pregnancy, mother and child are one organism, and therefore any habits of a woman in one way or another affect the fetus. According to medical studies, in about 75% of cases, pregnant women noticed negative consequences smoking. Many mothers claim that they smoked during pregnancy, but the child’s health is fine. However, they do not understand that the consequences can overtake the baby some time after birth.

If a pregnant woman smokes, then nicotine penetrates into her body (and as a result, into the body of the fetus). This insidious poison can harm a child even through long time(in adulthood). The carcinogen makes children absent-minded, impairs memory and sleep, and negatively affects the central nervous system. Some of them become very hot-tempered, while others, on the contrary, slow down their reactions.

According to doctors, pregnant women should not smoke, otherwise the likelihood of the following consequences increases:

The amount of oxygen in the body of a smoking mother decreases. As a result, less gas penetrates the placental barrier to the baby, and this can lead to dangerous complications.
The fetal heart rate increases.
The likelihood of spontaneous abortion or stillbirth increases.
There is a risk that the baby will be born between 22 and 37 weeks or will be premature.
Increased risk of disease respiratory organs at the child.

Expectant mothers should know that in the early stages (up to 4 weeks of pregnancy) it does not matter whether a woman smokes less often or buys cigarettes with a lower nicotine concentration. Less strong cigarettes also contain harmful substances, despite the fact that they contain less tar. Besides, expectant mother must understand that cigarettes have a bad effect not only on the fetus, but also on her condition. Smoking increases the likelihood of gestosis (late toxicosis) or worsens this state, sleep disorders occur, metabolism is disrupted, the woman quickly and sharply gains weight.

But sometimes the expectant mother, against her will, becomes a victim of smoking. We are talking about passive smoking, which has no less negative effects on the body, moreover, it can accelerate harmful effects. This is explained by the fact that when a person smokes inhales smoke, the lungs are affected not only by carcinogens and poisons, but also by oxygen oxides. These chemical compounds negatively affect the central nervous system, causing sleep disorders, hypoxia and uterine contractions.

To improve your health and prevent all negative consequences, you should avoid any influence of smoke. Do not visit smoking areas, ask your loved ones to refrain from smoking in front of you.

Time to get rid of a bad habit

Doctors recommend quitting smoking while planning a pregnancy, although it is never too late to give up the bad habit. In early pregnancy, smoking has the greatest great danger, and all due to the fact that the negative impact of carcinogens is aimed at the developing central nervous system of the fetus.

Many pregnant women who smoke are interested in the question of whether it is possible for a pregnant woman to suddenly quit smoking if she did so before conception. It is not recommended to suddenly give up cigarettes before the 13th week of pregnancy. It is better to gradually reduce the number of cigarettes in order to gradually get rid of addiction.

In the 2nd trimester, the formation of the brain, all internal organs and limbs occurs. When smoking in the period from 14 to 26 weeks, the likelihood of physical abnormalities increases and development may be impaired. important organs or even systems. Most at risk The respiratory organs and central nervous system are affected.

From 27 to 40 weeks, pregnant women develop lactation ability. Nicotine from cigarettes accumulates in tissues and the later a woman gives up smoking, the more risk that she would feed the baby poisoned milk. As a result, the baby gets used to nicotine, he suffers from colic, diarrhea, and sleep disorders.

Some women wonder what to do if they smoked and found out that they were pregnant. If the pregnancy was sudden and a smoking woman found out about it at 2–4 weeks, then the embryo has already received a small dose of nicotine. At this time, they are formed digestive organs, spine and brain, which may be affected by maternal nicotine addiction.

Expectant mothers who have recently learned about their situation are very worried that they have already poisoned their baby with this poison. However, reduce harmful influence nicotine on the fetus is possible. For the expectant mother It is recommended to immediately notify the gynecologist that she has recently quit smoking. In this case, the doctor will prescribe vitamins based on ascorbic acid and iron. A woman should avoid tonic drinks (coffee, tea, sweet soda). It is advisable to include vegetables, fruits, and freshly squeezed juices in your diet. Recommended to drink more liquid: filtered water, kefir, green tea etc. It is also worth doing daily hiking, avoid smoking areas. Only by observing these conditions will a woman be able to correct the harm she has caused to the baby.

Smoking herbal mixtures and hookah

Some women smoke weed while pregnant; this is very dangerous for the fetus. Herbal mixtures violate mental development of the unborn child, they depress the activity of the central nervous system, but at the same time excite nerve endings brain.

When smoking weed, there is a threat not only from within, but also from without. Herbal mixtures inhibit a woman’s nervous system, impair coordination, and therefore increase the likelihood of falls and blows, which can result in harm to the fetus.

Effects of smoking weed during pregnancy:

The development of the fetus is disrupted, its body is constantly poisoned by toxic substances, and it develops a dependence on “weed” even before birth.
Every 3 children whose mother smoked weed has impaired brain functionality, which is manifested by memory loss, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other pathologies.
As a result of regular smoking by the mother, the fetus may simply die in the womb.

Many people are interested in whether pregnant women can smoke hookah. According to doctors, hookah during pregnancy is perhaps even more dangerous than cigarettes. Is in the smoke large number dangerous chemicals(including nicotine and carbon monoxide). Many smokers believe that the water through which the smoke passes cleanses it of toxic substances. However, this opinion is erroneous, since they are completely absorbed into the blood. After smoking a hookah, a person is even more poisoned by nicotine and carbon monoxide, since the process itself lasts longer.

Pregnant women are prohibited from smoking hookah frequently, otherwise the likelihood of dangerous consequences increases: low weight, respiratory diseases, sudden infant death.

The question of how to quit smoking during pregnancy interests many expectant mothers. This is quite real, as proven by many women! The following rules will help facilitate this process:

Do not perform activities that make you remember cigarettes (don’t drink coffee, don’t drink alcohol, avoid stress, etc.).
Check out the popular book " The easy way quit smoking" A. Carr.
Change your daily routine, fill in the blanks interesting activities(crafts, sports, dancing, etc.).
Take walks more often fresh air. If you smoke on the street, the unfriendly reaction of passers-by will make you feel shy and awkward. As a result, you will not get pleasure from the process. In addition, during a walk, oxygen spreads faster through the tissues, and the craving for cigarettes decreases.
Replace cigarettes with sweets. Give preference to dark chocolate, sweets and lollipops.

After 2 - 3 weeks, your weight will increase slightly. However, don’t worry, things will get back to normal soon. metabolic processes and work endocrine glands and you will return to normal.
Watch films about the intrauterine development of a child and pregnancy more often. This improves your mood and adds confidence that you are doing the right thing by giving up a bad habit.
Sign up for courses for young parents and talk to your doctor about this topic.

By following these rules, you will soon be able to quit smoking.

If you can't quit

And in some cases, the expectant mother fails to quit smoking, but she realizes how dangerous it is for the fetus and is very worried. In such cases, you can resort to auxiliary means.

The nicotine patch can replace cigarettes, and the harm from it is much less than from cigarettes. This method is used by many mothers who are faced with similar problem. As they write on the forums, he helped some women give up their addiction. The patch contains the same amount of nicotine as a cigarette, but without inhaling the smoke.

According to doctors, smoking electronic cigarettes is not a way out. This is explained by the fact that a woman is forced to independently control the flow of nicotine into her body, and this is quite difficult. The expectant mother may consume more nicotine but not feel it because she is inhaling vapor rather than smoke.

Now you know how to quit smoking while pregnant. The most important condition is own desire get rid of nicotine addiction for the benefit of the unborn child. Stay positive, stay calm and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Reading time: 10 minutes

In a woman's life, expecting a child is joyful event, but for smoking representatives of the fair sex, the time from conception to childbirth is a real test. An experienced smoker often fails in her attempt to quit the addiction. The excuse for such expectant mothers is increased nervousness and reviews from those who smoked throughout their pregnancy, but nothing happened to the child. Research and medical statistics they say the opposite.

What is pregnancy

The physiological process in the female body, in which, after fertilization of the egg, a fetus is formed that can live in the womb, is called pregnancy. Up to 10 obstetric weeks the embryo develops. From the 11th week of pregnancy it is called a fetus. On average, the development process of a child in the womb lasts 280 days. A period of time of 40 weeks is considered from the date of the last menstrual period ( obstetric term) or 38 weeks from the moment of conception (embryonic period). Pregnancy is divided into trimesters, each of three months (1-12 weeks - first, 13-28 - second, 29-40 - third).

The successful course of this physiological process is the key to proper planning. Increases the chance of birth healthy baby full examination couples even before conception, surrender necessary tests, treatment chronic pathologies, balanced diet, psychological preparation, mandatory abandonment of bad habits. First signs of pregnancy:

pain in the lumbar region;
increased mucous secretions;
bloating;
headache;
nausea;
sensitive breasts;
fatigue;
increased sensitivity to odors;
mood swings;
frequent urination;
delay of menstruation.

Smoking before pregnancy

Doctors say that a woman's smoking is one of the reasons for her infertility. This statement is based on medical research that found that due to negative influence aromatic hydrocarbons, which penetrate into the body along with tobacco smoke, often kill eggs. If a woman smoked for a long time before pregnancy, the likelihood of conception is halved.

In the presence of this bad habit, violations are more often observed menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs much less frequently, and menopause occurs faster. Smoking is dangerous not only for women, but also for the future father. Smoking man has low quality sperm, as it contains few viable sperm. Smokers, especially those with a history of hypertension, often suffer from impotence.

When can you plan to get pregnant after smoking?

For successful fertilization, both the expectant mother and the expectant father need to quit smoking at least a year before conception. Smoking affects the development of a baby in the womb not only during pregnancy, but also long before it. After prolonged inhalation tobacco smoke A woman inherits many diseases to her child. Regular intake of nicotine into the body accelerates the aging process, therefore female body wears out faster. Damage to all organs and systems is caused by more than 4,000 harmful substances that a cigarette contains:

Respiratory system. Through the trachea cigarette smoke enters the lungs, lingering for a fraction of a second. This time is enough for part of the nicotine to be absorbed into the blood, and part remains for inner surface lungs and bronchi. Resins do not lose their activity even when a woman quits smoking. They remain poisonous long period time until they are completely eliminated from the body, and this takes months and even years.
Cardiovascular system. Regular smoking increases the heart rate, which harms the main organ. Smokers are at risk of myocardial infarction and other heart pathologies.
Digestive system. This applies to oral cavity, nasopharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines. The harm is obvious: there is an increased risk of deterioration in the quality of teeth, the development of diseases of the esophagus, liver, kidneys and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
Hair and nails. Women who smoke need much more vitamin C than non-smokers. Cigarette abuse reduces the level of vitamin C, iron and calcium in the body, which leads to brittle nails, hair loss and other defects.

Is it possible to smoke during pregnancy?

According to WHO, 30% of pregnant women do not give up cigarettes. This creates certain statistics on the impact of tobacco smoke on the health of the fetus. Below is only part of the list of dysfunctions that smoking during pregnancy causes:

Miscarriage. Among smoking women in position, spontaneous abortion occurs in 80% of cases. Reason: incomparable amount of poison with the weight of the fetus.
Perinatal mortality. Children who manage to survive in the womb of a smoking mother and are born face a new challenge - 35% of such babies die in the first week of life. Cause of death: newborn diseases incompatible with life.
Syndrome sudden death. This is the name for cases when a newborn baby stops breathing in his sleep. Stopping breathing is caused by imperfect autonomic nervous system, for the development of which great influence influenced by tobacco smoke inhaled by the mother during pregnancy.
Intrauterine developmental delay. Doctors call this the lag in fetal size and weight. The most easy stage malnutrition - a delay of 2 weeks, during which the baby spends energy not on development, but on restoring body weight.
Premature destruction of the placenta. In a woman who smokes, this can happen in any trimester. If the area of detachment is equal to a third of the total area of the placenta, then the fetus dies.

How does smoking affect pregnancy?

First of all, the harm of smoking during pregnancy concerns disruption of the structure of the placenta. Compared to normal, its tissues shrink significantly and become thinner. Under the influence of nicotine, the placenta undergoes changes in the blood supply, acquires rounded shape. These processes provoke premature detachment, contribute to extensive hemorrhage and death of the child in the womb.

There is such a thing medical concept as "fetal tobacco syndrome". They determine the effect of nicotine on the unborn child. This diagnosis is differentiated if:

the mother smoked more than 5 cigarettes every day during fetal development;
during pregnancy the woman had severe hypertension;
at 37 weeks, a symmetrical slowdown in growth was noticed in the fetus;
the newborn has stomatitis, dulled sense of smell and taste;
the baby has a disorder of hematopoiesis;
takes place increased coagulability blood;
the baby's immunity is reduced;
the child has premature aging skin (appearance of wrinkles).

In the early stages

Doctors say that the danger of tobacco on the development of the embryo manifests itself immediately after conception. Unfortunately, most pregnancies in our country are unplanned. Often a woman finds out about it 1-1.5 months after conception, and before that she continues to conduct her familiar image life. If she smokes, then nicotine intoxication of the body from an early stage affects the development of the child’s brain, because it is formed already at 4 weeks. At this stage of gestation, the fetus is not yet protected by the placental barrier, so it is defenseless against any external influence.

What are the dangers of smoking during pregnancy? early stages:

	Harm to the child
	Smoking poses a risk of physical harm. Organs and tissues develop from cells. The process is controlled by DNA molecules, which “throw out” unusable elements from the system. Since tobacco smoke substances can attach to chromosomes, the DNA will remove them along with the tissues, and the body little man will develop without any limb or other organ.
	Nicotine affects the blood vessels of the placenta. When it is present, vascular spasm occurs in the mother’s body, causing the fetus to constantly experience oxygen starvation (hypoxia). This leads to various complications, starting from the small weight of the child in the womb and the development of early gestosis, to psychological abnormalities baby that will remain for life.

In the later stages

From the 4th month of pregnancy, a woman no longer has a fetus in her stomach, but full-fledged person. Although it is still very small, it is a mature organism with a whole set of systems. Next, the child develops internal organs, the fat layer grows and muscle mass, weight gain. What are the consequences of smoking during pregnancy? later the baby receives in the womb:

Harm to the child

The baby's respiratory, digestive, and cardiovascular systems are included in the work. Nicotine entering an unformed body strikes them. The circulation of cigarette smoke clogs the fetal organs through the maternal blood and inhibits their development.

Addiction to nicotine allows children's body learn to process the resulting chemicals and become addicted to nicotine in the womb. After childbirth, the baby is deprived of constant nutrition and experiences real withdrawal. The baby is capricious, sleeps poorly, and experiences severe emotional stress.

Another danger of smoking late in life is premature birth. Premature babies have high threshold mortality.

Passive smoking

When a person is near a smoker, he inhales tobacco smoke unintentionally. As shown medical research, the effect of nicotine on the fetus during passive smoking is the same as when a pregnant woman actively smokes cigarettes. Tobacco smoke contains harmful substances: nicotine, carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide, carcinogens, benzopyrene, radioactive components.

When a woman, even at the stage of conception, inhales all this, then she also suffers. immune system, and embryo (fetus). Toxic substances from tobacco smoke accumulate in the body, causing placental insufficiency, as a result of which the placenta does not perform its functions and the fetus does not receive normal amount nutrients, the child's hemoglobin level is increased. Because of this, the baby may be born with various congenital mental abnormalities, leading to Down syndrome.

Babies are born with low body weight, often get sick, and are emotionally unstable. In the background passive smoking a pregnant woman sometimes experiences placenta previa when it overlaps internal os cervix. This prevents a woman from giving birth to a baby. naturally. Risk increases internal bleeding, so doctors refer her to C-section, which is also dangerous due to its complications.

Smoking hashish or marijuana

For the offensive drug intoxication When smoking marijuana or hashish, special substances called cannabinoids are responsible. Once in the human body, they accumulate in the genitals, lungs, and brain. Long-term smoking of marijuana or hashish has a negative impact on intellectual abilities, processes of learning and memorizing information. When smoking narcotic substances combustion products enter the body in the same way as when smoking regular cigarette, which affects the state of the respiratory system.

This suggests that the use of marijuana or hashish during pregnancy poses a great danger to the development of the child in the womb. Since the drugs are illegal and not sold legally, the woman buying them cannot know what is in them. Instead of marijuana, the package may contain foreign substances that can cause not only complications during pregnancy, but also a threat to the life of the child and the expectant mother.

How to quit smoking

People who smoke are not as dependent on cigarettes as they think. They are more subordinate to the ritual that they constantly perform. A cigarette in hand, a cup of coffee in the morning, evening tea with your favorite TV series - it’s hard to refuse. When a woman understands that there is no addiction, it will be easy to quit smoking. Moreover, there is significant reason giving up a bad habit means the birth of a healthy baby. A few tips to make quitting smoking easier:

remember that this is not a sacrifice, refusal or coercion, you are just a non-smoking pregnant woman who is waiting for a healthy baby;
you are doing this not because of your husband, mother-in-law or mother, but for yourself;
don’t give yourself delays, don’t look for excuses like: I’ll start on the first of the month or on Monday, quit smoking here and now;
forget about rituals, don’t break cigarettes, don’t throw the pack out the window, theatrical effects won’t help;
create conditions that will prevent a breakdown from occurring, for example, go to the hospital for safekeeping or go live with your mother-in-law;
replace the bad habit with another ritual, find yourself any other game that is safe for health.

Early

Women who are not ready to give up smoking, but understand the need for this in the early stages of pregnancy, come up with different ways don't do it right away. Advertising offers many products to help replace cigarettes that manufacturers claim are less harmful to health. You should know that sprays, chewing gum, patches and tablets containing nicotine are also prohibited from using while pregnant. The content of toxic substances in them can cause considerable harm to the development of the fetus.

Electronic cigarettes are not much different from the above-mentioned products. Although bad smell is absent, the cartridges still contain nicotine, so smoking them will not add health. You need to quit in the first stages of pregnancy immediately and forever. All aids only take up time, and during this period there can be irreversible consequences. All body systems are formed in the first trimester, so for the fetus every day is a huge leap in development. Smoking by a mother can at any time cause an irreversible disruption in these natural processes.

Is it possible to suddenly quit smoking?

Doctors' opinions were divided on this matter. You can hear from a gynecologist about the dangers abrupt refusal from smoking during pregnancy. This is explained by the stress that the expectant mother experiences when trying to deal with bad habit and lack of nicotine in the body. This reaction supposedly affects the success of pregnancy. If we look at the issue in more detail, then a woman’s body cannot experience more stress when giving up a bad habit than, for example, from any other everyday inconvenience.

Nicotine addiction greatly exaggerated, because many women have less than 5 years of smoking experience. Even with prolonged inhalation of nicotine, the stress from withdrawal is much less than that which the expectant mother experiences when thinking about possible diseases your child. For this reason, the other half of doctors are more categorical. They argue that each puff leads to a decrease in fetal movements in the womb and a decrease in its activity, so the process of weaning off cigarettes should be minimized.

Video

We have all heard repeatedly about the dangers of smoking. And at school we were given long lectures, and scary pictures were printed on cigarette packs, but nevertheless, the majority of smokers do not want to give up their habit. Although everyone has heard that nicotine shortens life and can develop cancer...

Girls and women are usually “scared” by yellow teeth, gray skin and problems with bearing a child. Why is the number of smokers not decreasing? But many women, even after becoming pregnant and knowing full well that smoking during pregnancy has an extremely negative effect on the unborn baby, cannot quit smoking. Moreover, there are those who say that in fact everything is not so bad, if you smoke 1-2 cigarettes a day, nothing bad will happen, etc. Let's try to understand such an issue as pregnancy and smoking: is it possible or not, myths and truth, why it is dangerous...

How smoking affects pregnancy

Smoking is known to have a negative impact on human health. It is difficult to remember at least one organ system that would not suffer from inhaled tobacco smoke: it harms the respiratory, digestive, circulatory systems, brain, skin...

But smoking during pregnancy is doubly harmful, because all the toxic substances that enter the mother’s body also reach the child, but in much higher concentrations. The nascent organism cannot cope with the “periodic table” that is contained in every cigarette: nicotine, carbon monoxide, tar, benzopyrene, carcinogenic substances...

When a mother takes a drag from a cigarette, the baby in her womb begins to choke - vasospasm occurs, which leads to oxygen starvation. This is why women who smoke are more likely than non-smokers to give birth to premature babies whose body weight is less than 2.5 kg, and other parameters - head circumference and chest, body length - talk about developmental delay.

Needless to say, such children are very sick and suffer from frequent colds And various forms allergies?

And here, of course, many will remember some example from personal experience when a friend/neighbor continued to smoke for 9 months and eventually gave birth healthy child. This does not mean that the dangers of smoking during pregnancy are fiction. Firstly, it is too early to say whether smoking during pregnancy affected the child when he is 1-2 years old.

Negative consequences can appear at 6 and 7 years old, when the child goes to school and it turns out that it is difficult for him to learn even simple poems and children's songs, it is difficult for him to remember new information. And secondly, smoking during pregnancy is a risk in any case: where is the guarantee that you will be lucky? And is such “Russian roulette” necessary only because of the weakness of a woman who cannot give up a cigarette?

The effect of smoking on pregnancy: myths and misconceptions

We have already debunked one of the most common myths - smoking during pregnancy is not so dangerous: it is still dangerous, so it is better to give up this habit before conception.

Another misconception: you should not quit smoking during pregnancy, as supposedly the body begins to cleanse itself, which also passes through the fetus, which can greatly harm it. However, doctors are unanimous: continuing to smoke is much more dangerous!

It is believed that higher quality cigarettes cause less harm to the body. Well, yes, as in the joke: “I buy expensive cigarettes, I can’t skimp on my health!” Often, in expensive ones, the strong taste of tobacco is simply interrupted by aromatic additives; smoking them is more pleasant, but the effect is the same.

Some expectant mothers, realizing all the harm of smoking during pregnancy, still cannot completely quit smoking and switch to lighter cigarettes, hoping that in this way less tar and nicotine will enter their body.

But in reality, this is what happens: wanting to replenish the usual level of nicotine in the blood, the smoker smokes more “light” cigarettes, or takes deeper puffs. Therefore, switching to light cigarettes is ineffective, just like gradually quitting smoking: it is better to give up cigarettes at once, so your body will cleanse itself much faster.

By the way, judging by the reviews on the forums, many women managed to quit smoking precisely because of pregnancy - they were helped by the realization that they were now harming not only themselves, but also their future baby.

Smoking during early pregnancy

A rather controversial issue is smoking and early pregnancy. On the one hand, most of our pregnancies, unfortunately, are still spontaneous and unplanned, so the woman, not yet knowing about her “ interesting position“, continues to lead his usual way of life.

On the other hand, doctors say that smoking in the first weeks of pregnancy has the most negative impact on the fetus, because at this time it is not yet protected by the placenta, which means it is defenseless against any negative external influences.

And, besides, in the early stages of pregnancy, all the vital organs of the baby are formed, so any unfavorable factor may become fatal. Smoking in early pregnancy can lead to various diseases, which are formed during intrauterine development person (for example, heart disease or skeletal system that are not caused by genetic disorders).

Smoking in late pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy in the 2-3 trimester is also not safe. In addition to the fact that it can cause any abnormalities in the development of the fetus, premature maturation of the placenta and premature birth are also possible.

In addition, if a woman smokes 5-10 or more cigarettes during this period, there is a high probability of placental abruption - this is a pathology of childbearing, accompanied by heavy bleeding, and the only way to stop it is surgically. After such an operation, the fetus rarely survives, since during placental abruption it experiences acute hypoxia (lack of oxygen).

In addition, smoking in late pregnancy along with alcohol and various infections may become one of the causes of intrauterine fetal death and stillbirth.

Smoking and breastfeeding

If you haven’t mustered the strength to quit smoking during pregnancy, you’re unlikely to decide to do so when breastfeeding. Smoking by a nursing woman has 2 negative aspects: firstly, it has been proven that nicotine suppresses the activity of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for the production of breast milk (if you really can’t give up cigarettes, do not smoke at least from 9 pm to 9 am, when prolactin is secreted especially actively).

Secondly, all substances contained in tobacco enter the breast milk, which means that the child receives all the same carcinogenic and radioactive substances as the smoking mother. It’s just that it’s easier for an adult body to cope with them, but a child’s body can’t do it...

Cigarette smoke contains more than four thousand dangerous chemicals, as well as about 60 compounds that can cause cancer. When smoking, all these substances enter the blood of a pregnant woman - the only source of oxygen and nutrients for her unborn child.

Of course, none of the 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke have any health benefits, but the two most dangerous components, nicotine and carbon monoxide, are responsible for most smoking-related pregnancy complications.

Most dangerous consequences Smoking during pregnancy leads to fetal death and stillbirth, but smoking can also cause other complications, including low birth weight of the child.

What is this connected with? The thing is that nicotine, which enters the blood of a pregnant woman when inhaling cigarette smoke, narrows blood vessels throughout the body, including the vessels of the umbilical cord. Due to the narrowing of the umbilical cord vessels, the baby receives much less blood than he needs for normal height and development. However, that's not all. Carbon monoxide is much more active than oxygen, therefore it attaches faster to hemoglobin and is more difficult to separate from it. After smoking, less blood enters the child’s body, but even the blood that reaches him does not contain oxygen, which is so necessary for the baby, but poisonous carbon monoxide. Needless to say that this cannot pass without a trace and not affect the health of the unborn child?

Every cigarette you smoke matters

Many women who were unable to give up a bad habit during pregnancy console themselves with the fact that one or two cigarettes a day will not harm the baby. Of course, a few cigarettes a day are less dangerous than, for example, a whole pack, but the difference is not as great as it might seem at first glance.

The thing is that the body reacts especially acutely to the first doses of nicotine, so even one or two cigarettes a day can cause persistent contraction blood vessels, dangerous for the unborn child.

What are the consequences of smoking during pregnancy?

Of course, in the very ideally a woman should not start smoking at all, or at least should quit smoking at the stage of pregnancy planning. It has been proven that smokers have an increased risk of miscarriage, which means that formerly a woman If she gives up this bad habit, she will have a better chance of having a healthy pregnancy.

Many pregnant women mistakenly believe that since the harm to health has already been done, there is no point in quitting smoking during pregnancy. But this is not true:

If you stop smoking as soon as you find out you are pregnant, or in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, your chances of having a normal pregnancy and having a healthy baby of normal weight will be very similar to those of non-smoking women.

Already from 14-16 weeks, the fetus begins to rapidly gain weight, and if the pregnant woman has not stopped smoking by this time, then an ultrasound may show a noticeable delay in the baby’s growth. By quitting smoking at this stage, you will give your child a chance to “catch up” normal sizes And normal weight by the time of birth.

It's not too late to quit smoking even at 30 weeks of pregnancy, because your unborn baby will still have a few weeks left to gain a more or less normal weight by the time it is born.

How to quit smoking during pregnancy?

Quitting smoking is not an easy task, and pregnant women are no exception. Magic pills remedies for bad habits have not yet been invented, so you will have to do the main work yourself. Below we will present some tips to help you get in the mood and gain determination.

Write a list of reasons why you want to quit smoking

The list may include different items, but we suggest the following:

Benefits for the unborn child:

I can give my son or daughter the most valuable gift - health.

I can protect my unborn child from premature birth.

I can give my baby more oxygen and nutrients.

I can give birth to a healthy baby and take him home as early as possible.

I can protect my child from allergies, asthma, heart defects and breathing problems.

Benefit for you:

I can protect myself from lung cancer cardiovascular diseases, premature aging.

My pregnancy will proceed without complications.

I can save money and buy something for my future child or for myself.

Include in the list those moments that motivate you personally to quit smoking. Post the list in a visible place and read it every time you fight the urge to smoke.

Change your habits

Avoid situations in which you would normally light a cigarette, or if this is not possible, replace smoking with another habit (such as chewing gum or eating a cookie).

Seek support from others

Ask your mom, girlfriend or husband to support you. Every time you feel the urge to smoke, call this person to distract yourself and get another dose of motivation and support. If someone around you smokes, ask them not to smoke in front of you. You can also find forums and support groups for quitting smoking online.

Is it true that pregnant women should not suddenly quit smoking?

This is not true. After sudden failure From smoking, a pregnant woman may indeed feel unwell, irritable, and anxious, however, this will not affect the unborn child in any way.

The sooner and more decisively you give up this dangerous habit, the better for you and for your future baby.

Is it possible to quit smoking gradually?

It is possible if you are unable to quit smoking abruptly and if your pregnancy is not yet very advanced. Gradually quitting smoking during pregnancy can reduce symptoms of nicotine addiction, such as depression and anxiety, if the woman was a heavy smoker before pregnancy. However, remember that even if you quit smoking gradually, you should try to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke to zero until a maximum of 14 weeks of pregnancy. Of course, it's never too late to quit smoking, but the sooner you do it, the lower the risk of consequences.

Can I use nicotine patches or gum during pregnancy?

Nicotine patches, chewing gum, nasal sprays, lozenges and other products are widely used to treat nicotine addiction in heavy smokers. However, the safety of these drugs for pregnant women has not yet been sufficiently studied. Due to the lack of information, experts recommend that pregnant women first try to quit smoking on their own, and resort to nicotine substitutes only when as a last resort and only after consulting a doctor.

What to do if you really want to smoke during pregnancy?

Some women, even those who did not smoke before pregnancy, may develop an obsessive desire to smoke. There are even cases where non-smoking women started smoking during pregnancy. But you shouldn’t be led by your desires. This is not the case when a pregnant woman should not be denied anything. The desire to smoke has nothing to do with the real needs of your body and does not mean that the body lacks nicotine or anything else. You should not endanger yourself and your unborn child for the sake of a momentary whim.

How does smoking marijuana affect pregnancy?

Smoking marijuana (cannabis) during pregnancy can be no less dangerous than smoking cigarettes. Main psychoactive substance marijuana (tetrahydrocannabinol) crosses the placenta and enters the blood of the unborn child, so the pregnant woman shares the drug with her unborn child.

Smoking marijuana during pregnancy increases the risk of having a low birth weight baby, breathing problems (lung immaturity, bronchial asthma), increases the risk that the newborn will have to stay in the ward intensive care a few more weeks after birth. There is also evidence that exposure to cannabinoids in utero reduces the rate of psychomotor development after birth.

How does hookah smoking affect pregnancy?

Smoking a hookah during pregnancy is no less, and perhaps even more dangerous, than smoking cigarettes. The smoke inhaled while smoking a hookah contains many dangerous chemical compounds, including the two most dangerous: nicotine and carbon monoxide. Contrary to popular belief, the water through which smoke passes does not cleanse it of toxic components, and they enter the smoker’s blood in full. Smoking a hookah exposes a person to even higher dose nicotine and carbon monoxide than smoking cigarettes, since the duration of hookah smoking usually exceeds the duration of smoking a cigarette, and can reach one hour or more.

Frequent hookah smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of having a low birth weight baby, respiratory disorders in a newborn and sudden infant death syndrome.

Smoking during pregnancy - common mistake many expectant mothers. Smoking is a harmful and destructive habit for a woman who is not expecting a child. If pregnancy occurs, you need to quit smoking not only for your own sake, but also for the sake of the health and development of the baby. Nothing healthy smoking does not bring, but the risks of complications increase sharply.

Smoking during pregnancy

The ideal option would be a situation where the girl did not start smoking before pregnancy. But, if you have a bad habit, then you need to give it up at least a year before the planned conception. It takes just that long to completely remove nicotine from a woman’s body.

Even if a pregnant woman eats right, exercises and takes vitamins, but also smokes, this will definitely affect the baby’s health. Baby, whatever healthy image If the smoker didn't smoke, she would still get her big share of nicotine. Nicotine addiction, as opposed to alcohol or drug addiction, quite weak. The main thing is to take the first step and understand that quitting smoking is necessary for your baby.

Why is smoking during pregnancy dangerous?

Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals. Including lead, cyanide, about 60 carcinogenic compounds. If a pregnant girl smokes, all these substances enter her bloodstream. The mother's bloodstream is the only source of nutrients and oxygen for the baby. That is, by smoking, the expectant mother is literally poisoning her child. None of the 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke are good for children. Two out of 4000 - nicotine and carbon monoxide - are very dangerous for a baby. One might even say, deadly.

It is nicotine and carbon monoxide that can cause complications during pregnancy such as stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight of the baby. All this happens because insufficient quantity oxygen that reaches the baby. Nicotine also constricts blood vessels, including those in the umbilical cord. Therefore, the baby will be forced to breathe through a very thin tube, which will further reduce the amount of oxygen.

Smoking in early pregnancy

In many situations, a woman finds out about her pregnancy when the baby is already two to four weeks old. If at this time the girl was smoking, then the child had already received a dose of nicotine. In the fourth week of pregnancy, the embryo begins to form the brain, spine, liver and digestive tract. Nicotine intoxication primarily affects the development of the baby’s brain.

To reduce the impact of early smoking on pregnancy, you need to inform your doctor. He will prescribe essential vitamins and will help adjust your diet in such a way as to reduce the impact of smoking. It is also best to avoid all products containing caffeine. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, drink juices. All this will help cope with nicotine intoxication in the body in the early stages and give birth to a healthy child.

Smoking in the second half of pregnancy

In the second part of pregnancy important role the placenta begins to play. It provides the baby with oxygen and nutrients. If a woman smokes during this period, then the described physiological process may be broken. Insufficient oxygen will enter the baby’s body, which can cause the child to experience acute oxygen deficiency.

During this period of pregnancy, smoking can also lead to premature ripening of the placenta. The old placenta begins to function worse. Ultimately, this can lead to premature birth. If the placenta becomes too thin and has irregular shape(can be determined by ultrasound), the likelihood of intrauterine death of the child increases sharply.

This is important! Mothers who smoke, including those who smoked heavily before pregnancy, have a sharply increased risk of premature birth and stillbirth. Women who smoke are approximately 20% more likely to have stillborn babies. If a woman smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day, then the risk of birth dead child is 35%.

Consequences of smoking during pregnancy

Women who smoke have a worse pregnancy experience than those who have never smoked or who quit a year or more before conception. Smokers are more likely to suffer from early toxicosis, varicose veins veins, constipation, dizziness. Also, smokers often have a deficiency of vitamin C. This leads to serious immune disorders, metabolic problems.

The most important consequence of smoking during pregnancy is the impact on the developing baby. If a baby is in the womb of a mother who smokes, he is a passive smoker. If a mother quits smoking during pregnancy, the child may suffer from a phenomenon called “nicotine hunger.” Such children are significantly delayed in their development before and after birth. Often such children are born with certain health problems.

How does smoking affect the baby during pregnancy and birth?

Most of all, the development of the baby, as mentioned above, is affected by the lack of oxygen if the mother continues to buy it. The risk of premature birth in smokers doubles on average. Often a child is born weighing up to 2.5 kg.

Formation of weight and height

If a mother smokes a pack of cigarettes a day during pregnancy, the baby’s weight is reduced by an average of 250 grams. The more cigarettes smoked, the less the child weighs. Such inhibition of fetal growth can have negative effects throughout that person's life.

Formation of the body and lungs

Children who are born too small often have underdeveloped organs. In particular, by the time of birth the lungs may not have time to form. This means that the baby will be connected to the device for the first days of its life. artificial respiration. As a result, breathing problems may occur. Children of smokers have twice as many high risks get asthma.

Heart formation

If the mother smoked in the first trimester of pregnancy, there is a high chance that the baby will be born with some kind of heart disease. Studies have been conducted that have shown that such children have up to 70% higher risks of congenital heart disease.

Brain functioning

Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy may have learning problems, behavior problems, and a low intelligence quotient (IQ).

Diseases associated with smoking during pregnancy

Some women believe that if smoking during pregnancy did not harm during pregnancy and after childbirth, then everything turned out okay. Actually this is not true. Many diseases can develop in a person only because his mother smoked while carrying a child. In the first year of life, such children have an increased risk of death from sudden stop hearts.

Developmental pathologies such as cleft lip, cleft palate, strabismus, inguinal hernia, even Down syndrome. The development of pathologies is especially likely if the mother is over 35 years old, and she also smoked in late pregnancy. Children of smokers are prone to bronchitis and pneumonia.

How to quit smoking during pregnancy

As mentioned above, you should stop smoking one year before you plan to conceive. If this was not possible, and by the time of pregnancy the girl smokes more than ten cigarettes a day, she should quit smoking very carefully. Pregnancy itself is stressful for the body, so you should not suddenly deprive the body of nicotine to which it is accustomed.

Doctors advise performing the procedure complete refusal from cigarettes for three weeks. It is necessary to gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke and stop smoking cigarettes until the end. By the third week you will no longer want to pick up cigarettes. But it’s better to understand how harmful nicotine is for your baby and try to quit smoking as quickly as possible.

Passive smoking during pregnancy

Passive smoking, when a pregnant woman, against her will, inhales cigarette smoke, is also very harmful to the development of the baby. Passive smoking increases the risk of miscarriage.

In pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke:

26% higher risk of problems conceiving;
39% higher risk of spontaneous miscarriage;
23% higher risk of stillbirth;
13% higher risk of having a child with birth defects;

During pregnancy, a woman should try to protect herself as much as possible from passive smokers. Being in a smoky room for an hour equals exactly one cigarette smoked in terms of the amount of harmful substances a person will receive.

Protect your health, as well as the health of your baby, from the first weeks of his life. It is necessary to take the problem of smoking, including secondhand smoke, seriously. Nothing beneficial to the body Nicotine will not benefit mother and child, so you should stay as far away from this addiction as possible.