Smoking during pregnancy - effects on the fetus, consequences and recommendations of doctors

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Everyone must have heard about the negative impact of smoking, however, like other bad habits, on the human body. But, as practice shows, neither frightening photographs of the affected internal organs, nor active promotion of a he althy lifestyle affect a person's desires. But with the birth of a new life in a woman’s body, her bad habits begin to negatively affect the baby. How to be in this case? How dangerous is smoking during pregnancy? How long before the intended conception is it necessary to give up addiction? And what if you learned about an interesting situation for a period of several months, thereby continuing to poison your baby every day? It is these issues that we will try to understand within the framework of this material.

Doctors' opinion

It's hard to argue with statistics, but today it speaks of the active spread of smoking among the fair half of humanity. At the same time, the age of addiction to such an addiction is getting younger. Doctors agree that smoking during pregnancy is harmful to your baby. However, even aftera categorical "no" from their gynecologist, some continue to poison themselves and the fetus, referring to nervousness, as well as reviews of those negligent mothers who smoked during the entire pregnancy, after which they gave birth to he althy and strong children. However, it is hard to argue with the results of medical research, and they confirm the opposite.

Risk area

Smoking during pregnancy in the early stages, as well as throughout all trimesters, is accompanied by extremely negative factors:

• birth of a premature baby;
• risk of perinatal mortality;
• physical abnormalities and pathologies in the baby;
• high risk of miscarriage;
• risk of developing congenital diseases;
• mental and nervous disorder in a child.

How dangerous is nicotine for the fetus?

The consequences of smoking during pregnancy are most often reduced to pathologies in the woman's body, as well as the development of abnormalities in the normal growth and formation of the fetus.

The body of a woman and a future baby are one whole - every mother should remember this. Even one puff that you take leads to the formation of a smoke screen in the child. The consequence of this is often oxygen starvation and vasospasm. Doctors diagnose placental changes in those women who do not get rid of addiction. The placenta becomes thinner, which does not allow it to 100% cope with the assigned function. Miscarriages, facts of deviations in the development of the child, frozenpregnancy is all a consequence of placental abruption caused by exposure to nicotine.

Few people know that nicotine, even in a minimal amount, has a depressing effect on the reproductive system of a developing fetus. Girls are diagnosed with a decrease in the supply of eggs, which will negatively affect future reproductive function, boys may experience impotence in the future.

Harm of smoking for expectant mother

Every woman should be attentive to her he alth, otherwise she simply cannot bear a strong and he althy baby, protect him from the extremely negative influence of the outside world. We have already said that smoking during pregnancy is very bad for the child. How does it affect the he alth of the expectant mother? It is difficult to underestimate the harm that nicotine has on the female body:

• severe pregnancy;
• early toxicosis, weakness;
• problems in the digestive system, constipation, stool disorders;
• aggravation of problems of the cardiovascular system, varicose veins;
• deficiency of vitamins, especially vitamin C, which leads to deterioration of the skin, hair, nails.

I would like to note that the insufficient level of vitamin C in the female body entails not only external visible problems. It often results in metabolic disorders, a decrease in the protective functions of the body, and a depressive state.

Smoking and pregnancy planning

All gynecologists insist that both parents should be more careful and demanding in the process of conception. That is why the term pregnancy planning is so common today. Future parents, having decided to have a baby, should first of all go to a specialized medical institution in order to pass all the tests and undergo a comprehensive examination. The effect of smoking on the fetus during pregnancy is an established fact. But how careful should a woman be when planning for a future baby?

So, spouses should prepare together for conception, get rid of bad habits, sources of irritation, put their emotional background in order. Obviously, smoking and pregnancy planning are incompatible things. But for those parents for whom this statement is not enough, we will give the facts.

Both parents should stop smoking, because under the influence of nicotine, reproductive ability decreases by about 2-3 times. In women, in particular, the number of eggs is reduced. Numerous studies in this area have shown that smokers are also less likely to become pregnant with IVF, they will have to make twice as many attempts. Think about it, you probably don't want to run into problems. The negative impact of smoking during pregnancy is so great that the habit should be abandoned as soon as possible. The sooner you start, the sooner you clear yourorganism.

When can I plan a pregnancy?

A number of medical studies have proven that the blood is cleared of nicotine after 8 hours. It will take at least six months to completely cleanse the body. When planning a pregnancy, it is necessary to give up cigarettes at least a few months before the intended conception, because, as we found out, they negatively affect reproductive function. By the way, many, trying to get rid of addiction, use the much-advertised patches and chewing gums. So, it is safe to use them only before pregnancy.

Hookah and pregnancy

For the sake of completeness, this topic should also be touched on. If smoking during pregnancy is 100% evil, is it possible to replace cigarettes with hookah? In fact, this is a very topical issue. The expectant mother should know and understand that smoking, even without nicotine, is still dangerous for the baby developing in her womb. In the process of burning any substances, not necessarily tobacco, two destructive carcinogens are released: carbon monoxide and benzapyrene. Their inhalation for an hour can lead to the development of infectious pneumonia, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx and nasal cavity. No less harm to the female body and the development of the child is caused by all kinds of aromatic additives that always accompany the process of smoking hookah. It is they who can cause the development of allergies, which will interfere with the newborn immediately after birth.

Electronic cigarette: exit or stilldanger?

How harmful is so-called "electronic" smoking during pregnancy? The reviews of some expectant mothers are pushing many to switch to electronic cigarettes for the duration of the childbearing, which will allow them to maintain their addiction, only getting rid of its negative manifestations. This is a device that simulates the process of smoking. A person inhales the steam formed in the process of heating a special liquid, presented in sufficient abundance and variety. There are also nicotine-free products, which are most often chosen by pregnant women who do not want to give up addiction.

Doctors are quite categorical, they oppose such an alternative. Even the so-called nicotine-free liquid was created on the basis of an impressive amount of carcinogens, the inhalation of which provokes the same pathologies and complications as cigarette smoking. Another danger lies in the high risk of acquiring a fake, thereby causing even more harm to a woman and her unborn baby.

Smoking and breastfeeding

We have revealed quite important and relevant questions for future parents. Smoking during pregnancy is a huge risk. But if you didn’t have enough strength to get rid of this habit while carrying a baby, then you are unlikely to give it up after he is born. Nicotine addiction while breastfeeding has two downsides. First of all, it has already been scientifically proven that smoking suppresses the activity of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible forfor the production of breast milk. If for some reason you can’t give up cigarettes, make at least a slight restriction - give them up for the period from 9 pm to 9 am, when milk is produced most actively.

Nicotine and other substances pass into breast milk, respectively, the baby, which is not yet strong, receives the same carcinogens as his mother. Think about it, are you really capable of harming your baby with your actions in such an aggressive environment? The child's body simply can not cope with this impact.

Myths and misconceptions

Smoking during pregnancy is a rather discussed and topical topic that gives rise to enough prejudices around itself. One of them, that smoking does not harm the child, we have already dispelled.

A fairly popular myth says that while carrying a child, you can not abruptly quit the habit. But even here, doctors are unanimous in their opinion: it is much more dangerous to continue inhaling nicotine vapors. Moreover, it is smoking during early pregnancy that is accompanied by a large number of complications. Some women believe that better, more expensive cigarettes are less harmful. Again, this is misleading. In expensive cigarettes, the sharp taste of tobacco is most often interrupted by aromatic additives. The process of smoking becomes more pleasant, but its consequences remain the same.

Switching to lighter cigarettes won't solve the problem either. You will only psychologically reduce the harm that you will continue to do.hurt your child.

Summing up

Alcohol and smoking during pregnancy harm not only the woman, but also the fetus developing in her womb. Ideally, future parents should take care of their he alth six months before conception: eliminate all bad habits, enrich the diet with vitamins and microelements. Only in this case will you be able to endure and give birth to a strong and he althy child. Do not believe the reviews of negligent mothers who smoked throughout their pregnancy and, according to them, did not notice any negative consequences of their addiction.

In other words, even if pregnancy came as a surprise to you, you need to stop smoking as soon as possible, thereby speeding up the process of cleansing your body.