Smoking in Pregnancy – What are the Risks?
Index
Pregnancy is a magical moment, of total surrender and above all a lot of responsibility. After all, it is through maternal care that the fetus will grow and develop properly, coming to the world full of health.
But what about when that mother has unhealthy addictions that compromise not only her health but that of her baby now? We will report here the problems and risks developed by smoking during pregnancy.
Difficulty in Leaving Addictions
We are all aware of the great difficulty in leaving addictions, whatever it may be. But when there is a greater force and a precious reason, it is worth all the effort to win this fight .
Smoking is a major contributor to the high rate of deaths related to respiratory problems, cancer and lung problems of both sexes and affecting more and more children and adolescents.
And when it occurs during the gestational period, the problem can become even worse, causing spontaneous abortions, hemorrhages, premature birth and even the birth of the underweight baby in addition to presenting risks of physical and mental problems.
The carbon monoxide and nicotine used for the production of cigarettes is absorbed by the organism of the mother and the developing fetus, which has its heart racing immediately because its cardiovascular system is being activated.
Main Risks
Smoking in pregnancy is also responsible for high levels of malnutrition, as it acts directly in decreasing appetite , affecting the fetus’ weight gain in addition to being a strong factor to cause hypoglycemia that is responsible for severe headaches during pregnancy and pregnancy. elevation of cholesterol levels.
Tobacco use during pregnancy also affects the respiratory tract of mother and child, decreasing lung capacity and generating future problems in the affected area. But the worst of all the consequences of smoking in pregnancy is the chemical dependency that the baby will create.
Because its development is carried out by receiving loads of nicotine, when the baby is born it misses the substance in its organism causing excessive crying and nervousness without apparent cause, also known as abstinence to tobacco.
Pregnant Smoker – How to Quit Addiction?
Even knowing that smoking in pregnancy is so harmful to the fetus, it is not recommended by experts that the pregnant woman stop smoking overnight. After leaving addiction, the organism goes through a process of detoxification and abstinence, the substance where all the nicotine consumed is thrown into the bloodstream until it leaves the body and comes into direct contact with the fetus.
So the most suitable for women smokers who intend and are already trying to get pregnant is to stop smoking at least 6 months before, in order that the body is already cleaner.
But if you did not succeed during the tempting phase including the pressure, anxiety and nervousness of the situation. Now you have the biggest reason to leave this terrible addiction, you are pregnant. Some find it easier to quit smoking when they discover they are generating a new life, while others may need the help of treatments to help them.
Remembering that no treatment whatsoever, should be started without the knowledge of the obstetrician, as some substances used in some of these treatments, such as the patch, may contain components that are harmful to pregnancy.
Nicotine Replacement
Treatments such as nicotine replacement are one of the options indicated by specialists, who believe that replacement produces less risk to the development of the fetus than smoking directly, in addition to the replacement occurring gradually decreasing the quantities until the total stop of addiction.
Support and counseling groups are also another option for mom to quit smoking, in addition to therapist sessions, acupuncture and hypnotherapy that have a higher cost but provide more effectiveness in their treatment.
No matter what treatment you choose, the focus is the same! Provide a healthy life, a peaceful pregnancy and develop a healthy baby. Leaving addiction will not be easy, but it will be worth the effort and preferably do not smoke again after the baby is born.
Breastfeeding and Cigarette
After all, during breastfeeding, nicotine is passed to the baby through milk, offering the same health risks as during pregnancy. Also, since you managed to win this battle, why return, right? We must not forget that our children learn from the good example of their parents, and how to charge their children for something if you do it yourself? Offer, provide and create good habits for your children, this is the best way to have children always healthy.
See also: Sudden Baby Death – How to Reduce Risks
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.