Smoking during pregnancy: what does everyone need to know?

Pregnancy is a joyful event in a woman's life, but for some women it becomes a real test in an attempt to quit smoking. Of course, it is better not to start smoking at all. But what if you are a long-time smoker and it is so difficult to "quit", even being in an interesting position?

Statistics show that addiction to cigarettes is becoming more and more common among women, and the age of first acquaintance with tobacco is becoming younger.

Having heard the doctor's "no" to smoking during pregnancy, most women still overcome themselves. The excuse for future mothers who smoke is "swollen ears" and increased nervousness, as well as the reviews of those who smoked calmly throughout their pregnancy, and nothing happened to the child. However, the existing data from more than 300 studies conducted around the world converge on the complex adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy. Negative facts from the bad habit include:

• birth of a premature baby;
• increased risk of perinatal mortality;
• low birth weight;
• physical pathologies;
• risk of spontaneous abortion;
• a condition of preeclampsia, which poses a threat to the life of the baby and the woman herself (signs include severe swelling, protein in the urine, high blood pressure);
• risk of developing congenital diseases;
• delayed manifestation of the negative impact of tobacco - mental, intellectual disorders, etc.

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Why is smoking dangerous during pregnancy?

Adverse changes in pregnant women who smoke are reduced to pathologies: in the mother's body, during the intrauterine development of the baby, in infants and growing children.

The mother's body and the child's body are one whole - when a woman takes another drag, the baby is surrounded by a smoke screen, leading to vascular spasm and oxygen starvation. Doctors note placental changes in pregnant women who abuse cigarettes. In this case, the placenta acquires a more rounded shape and becomes thinner. The increase in the number of spontaneous abortions, the number of neonatal mortality episodes and cases of slow development of newborns are attributed to early detachment and situations with large placental infarctions due to the negative effects of nicotine.

The effects of smoking before conception, during pregnancy and after birth:

• an increase in the number of spontaneous abortions and spontaneous labor;
• incidence of premature and low birth weight infants;
• disorders associated with the breastfeeding process;
• decrease in adaptive factors and increase in incidence of neonatal diseases;
• risk of birth defects;
• noticeable lag in children in mental and physical terms.

There are known facts about the adverse effect of smoking during pregnancy on the peripheral blood supply system of the expectant mother, as well as a decrease in the respiratory activity of the fetus. The detrimental effect of carbon monoxide and nicotine on the intrauterine development of the fetus concerns a decrease in the ability of hemoglobin to transport oxygen. As a result, arterial spasm of the uterus disrupts placental function.

The harm of smoking during pregnancy

A little-known fact is that tobacco carcinogens have a depressing effect on the functioning of the fetal reproductive system. Girls experience a decrease in the supply of eggs, and boys may have problems with potency later in life.

It is difficult to underestimate the harm of smoking during pregnancy for the mother herself:

• the process of bearing a child is more difficult;
• cases of early toxicosis and gestosis are common;
• problems associated with varicose veins, dizziness, and digestive disorders (constipation) are aggravated;
• Nicotine causes vitamin C deficiency.

It should be noted that an insufficient amount of vitamin C in the mother’s body entails such problems as: disruption of metabolic processes and immune system functioning, impaired protein absorption and depressive states.

Smoking during pregnancy leads to intoxication of the fetus with tobacco smoke. The baby inevitably becomes a passive smoker. Such children are often susceptible to bad habits, such as tobacco and alcohol, already in adolescence. The worst thing is that newborns often suffer from "nicotine starvation", that is, they develop a harmful addiction while still in the mother's womb. The addiction manifests itself in different ways: whims and poor sleep, the first breath at birth followed by a state of suffocation.

How is smoking harmful during pregnancy?

Passive or active smoking makes a child a smoker already in the mother's womb, and the concentration of carcinogens from tobacco smoke in a developing baby is much higher and remains longer than in the mother's blood. It has been proven that passive smoking increases the risk of developing dementia syndrome.

Motherhood means care, love, the ability to think about the happiness and health of the future child. However, some women in this position are not stopped by horror stories about distant problems, nor by information about the harmful components of tobacco. But they should still know how harmful smoking is during pregnancy. This knowledge did not appear out of nowhere, but reflects the research data of scientists from all over the world about the effect of nicotine on the course of pregnancy and the development of the embryo:

• the ability to conceive in smokers is significantly reduced - in women, there is difficulty in the movement of the egg in the fallopian tubes and suppression of the action of hormones, and in men, spermatozoa lose mobility;
• the number of boys born decreases - it has been proven that a male embryo has a harder time adapting to survival conditions. Passive smoking, for example, reduces the possible birth of a son by a third;
• a child of smoking parents is doomed to problems associated with reproductive function;
• Smoking by the expectant mother makes the child dependent on nicotine;
• Smoking during pregnancy can cause premature placental abruption, which can lead to complications during childbirth with significant blood loss or miscarriage;
• children of mothers who smoke are premature and lag behind their peers in development;
• developmental defects and various pathologies appear – of the face, limbs, internal organs;
• Tobacco smoke impairs the child's lung function, which is caused by a lack of surfactant;
• Cigarette abuse often causes sudden infant death syndrome;
• Babies of mothers who smoke are more susceptible to various diseases.

How does smoking affect pregnancy?

Heavy smoking during pregnancy affects a woman's weight. A smoker's body weight is lower due to decreased appetite as a result of the bad habit and a decrease in the volume of food consumed.

Scientists have determined that the number of spontaneous abortions directly depends on the number of cigarettes smoked by the expectant mother. Infant mortality in childbirth of mothers who smoke increases by 30%, and the risk of unfavorable labor in smokers doubles. Premature birth is another unfavorable consequence of tobacco.

How does smoking affect pregnancy and the quantitative content of thiocyanate? Daily smoking of up to twenty cigarettes leads to an increase in thiocyanate in the blood of the mother and, accordingly, the baby, which is determined by analyzing the blood serum. An increase in thiocyanate causes endothelial dysfunction, which is the main factor in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary processes.

The Effect of Smoking on Pregnancy

Doctors have included the term "fetal tobacco syndrome" to determine the degree of nicotine's influence on the baby. Such a diagnosis in children is differentiated if:

• the expectant mother smoked more than five cigarettes daily;
• the woman had severe hypertension during pregnancy;
• the newborn showed symmetrical growth retardation at 37 weeks;
• the senses of taste and smell are dulled, there is stomatitis;
• increased blood clotting is observed;
• there is a violation of hematopoiesis;
• reduced immunity;
• premature aging of the skin (formation of wrinkles) is observed;
• antidiuretic effect.

The negative impact of smoking on pregnancy concerns, first of all, the disturbances in the structure of the placenta tissue, which becomes thinner, its weight decreases significantly compared to the norm. Under the influence of nicotine, the placenta acquires a rounded shape, undergoes changes in the blood supply. These pathological processes often contribute to premature rejection of the placenta, extensive hemorrhage in its tissues and the death of the fetus.

Carcinogens in tobacco smoke activate spasms in the uterine arteries, leading to dysfunction of the placental circulation and, as a consequence, insufficient oxygen supply to the fetus, which causes growth retardation. Increased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood can lead to hypoxia of the embryo.

It is important to note that smoking during pregnancy reduces the absorption of vitamins B, C and folic acid, which can lead to problems with the development of the baby's central nervous system.

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Does smoking affect pregnancy?

The news of the birth of life does not always make a woman give up cigarettes. Many expectant mothers prefer to reduce the number of cigarettes/packs smoked and that's all.

The reaction of the baby inside the mother's belly was tracked by scientists who conducted ultrasound diagnostics. It turned out that only when the pregnant woman intended to smoke did the baby begin to shrink and grimace.

If you still have doubts about whether smoking affects pregnancy, you should turn to the experience of medical representatives. Scientists from all over the world have studied the effects of tobacco smoke on mother and baby. In addition to physical pathologies, underdevelopment, intellectual and mental problems, smoking during pregnancy threatens difficulties with social implementation in the future. The closed, unfavorable space in which the baby was during development leaves its mark on the subconscious level for life.

Let us remember that cigarette smoke consists of approximately 800 components, thirty of which are poisonous – carbon monoxide, nicotine, cadmium, mercury, cobalt, etc. Therefore, tobacco intoxication is an invariable companion of all mothers who smoke and their children.

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Smoking and pregnancy planning

Planning conception means the couple is ready to become parents. With this approach, both the man and the woman realize the importance of creating healthy, full-fledged conditions for the development of the future baby. The spouses check the condition of their body in advance, get rid of existing problems, and put their emotional state in order.

It becomes obvious to such people that smoking and pregnancy planning are incompatible. Both future parents should give up the bad habit as soon as possible. After all, the ability to perform reproductive functions in smokers decreases almost twofold. In men, the quality of sperm decreases significantly, and in women, the number of eggs decreases. As it turns out, it is more difficult for smokers to get pregnant even with the help of IVF, and the number of attempts doubles.

Based on the fact that the male body gets rid of nicotine faster than the female body, you can plan conception three months after quitting smoking, provided that only the future father was a smoker.

When can you plan a pregnancy after smoking?

A number of studies report that blood purification occurs eight hours after smoking. However, it will take up to six months for nicotine toxins to be completely removed from the body.

Before pregnancy, you should give up cigarettes at least a month before, because nicotine significantly reduces the chances of possible conception. It should be noted that you can use a nicotine patch or chewing gum to combat tobacco addiction only before conception.

Much has been said about the negative impact of smoking on the female body - heart disease, lung disease, liver problems, decreased immune system, etc. How long will it take a woman to recover from her bad habit? It all depends on the intensity of smoking, the state of the body's systems, proper nutrition and emotional stability. How pregnancy will proceed after smoking depends on the presence of chronic diseases caused by the addiction.

Smoking before pregnancy

Nicotine addiction is a common cause of infertility. Scientists have found that female smokers have less viable eggs. This is due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that enter the organs and systems through tobacco smoke. A woman's ability to conceive decreases by half on average, which is determined by the frequency and number of cigarettes smoked.

Women with an addiction to cigarettes are more likely to suffer from menstrual cycle irregularities, they experience failure to ovulate and a rapid onset of menopause.

Passive smoking before pregnancy, especially when the father is also prone to this bad habit, further reduces the chances of successful fertilization. Male smokers have problems with potency, quality and viability of sperm.

Smoking in early pregnancy

You smoked and didn't know you were pregnant. The news of a new life inside you brings joy and concern about possible harm. Nature has shown concern for the future baby here too. Conception occurs approximately on the fourteenth day of the cycle. The first week is characterized by the absence of a connection between the mother and the embryo, which develops at the expense of its own strength and reserves. The implantation of the embryo into the uterine endometrium occurs only in the second week of the term, and the woman learns about the pregnancy after a delay.

Smoking at the beginning of pregnancy disrupts all physiological processes in the mother's body and negatively affects the development of the internal organs and systems of the future baby.

It is easier to forget about a bad habit at the beginning of pregnancy than to do it at a later stage.

Smoking in early pregnancy

Nicotine addiction prevents the organs of the future baby from "maturing", replacing healthy cells with sick ones. The appearance of defective cells is caused by tobacco toxins. The maximum damage from nicotine is caused to the bone marrow, which requires transplantation after the baby is born.

The expectant mother may not suspect that she is pregnant or console herself with excuses: quitting smoking will be stressful for the baby, and during the first two weeks there is no connection between the mother’s body and the embryo.

Be that as it may, smoking in the early stages of pregnancy is selfishness and irresponsibility towards your child. Obstetricians and gynecologists unanimously claim that it is better to forget about cigarettes even before conception. If the pregnancy was not planned, then the expectant mother should get rid of the harmful addiction immediately after receiving the good news.

Smoking in early pregnancy

Smoking is considered to be the most harmful in the early stages of pregnancy, when all the baby's organs and systems are being "laid down". One puff delivers a solid amount of harmful substances to the embryo - nicotine, benzopyrene, carbon monoxide. Nicotine provokes fetal hypoxia caused by the effect of carbon monoxide, which penetrates the placental barrier into the blood of the developing child and forms carboxyhemoglobin with hemoglobin.

The presence of nicotine in the body of the expectant mother significantly weakens the blood flow in the vessels of the placenta, thereby reducing the supply of nutrition to the fetus. Spontaneous termination of pregnancy, increased vaginal bleeding are common side effects of tobacco in the early stages.

Addiction to cigarettes at the beginning of pregnancy is fraught with the possibility of developing mutations in the newborn - "cleft palate" or "hare lip". The formation of the palate occurs precisely between the sixth and eighth weeks.

If you were unaware of the life growing inside you and continued to smoke, you should get rid of the bad habit as quickly as possible. Ideally, do not get acquainted with cigarettes at all or give up the addiction before conception.

Smoking in the early days of pregnancy

Smoking, even passive, primarily has a negative effect on the woman's body, worsening the condition of the lungs and immune system. Women smokers are most susceptible to respiratory diseases, which is absolutely unnecessary during pregnancy.

It is believed that in the first days after conception there is no connection between the mother and the embryo. Therefore, smoking in the first days of pregnancy does not harm the future child. As a rule, most mothers find out about their new situation after two or even five weeks after conception, continuing to smoke.

If you fail to lead a completely healthy lifestyle, then there is nicotine in your blood, which has a negative effect on your organs and systems. The number of cigarettes smoked daily also matters.

Gynecologists recommend getting rid of the addiction to tobacco as quickly as possible in order to avoid complications with the intrauterine development of the baby and complications during pregnancy, as well as during labor.

Smoking in the first weeks of pregnancy

Many women smokers often continue to smoke their dose of nicotine without suspecting pregnancy. It is important to immediately give up the negative addiction after confirming the fact of conception.

The placenta becomes a home for future life for all nine months, providing the child with everything necessary for full development - oxygen, nutrient media, protective antibodies. The formation of placental tissue is completed by the end of the twelfth week after conception, and smoking in the first weeks of pregnancy introduces various disturbances into the natural process. The embryo suffers from oxygen starvation and is poisoned by tobacco toxins.

Smoking at 5 weeks of pregnancy

During the fifth week of pregnancy, active development of the fetus occurs:

• division of cells into groups to form various organs;
• the emergence of the prototype of the future nervous system (neural tube);
• the formation of the most complex organ – the brain;
• the heart starts beating;
• the circulatory system develops.

In the pictures, the embryo resembles a shrimp with the beginnings of bronchi, thyroid and pancreas glands, liver, kidneys and adrenal glands.

From the above it becomes clear that smoking in the 5th week of pregnancy is more than an irresponsible act. The expectant mother should remember that the beginning of pregnancy is especially dangerous due to the possibility of miscarriage. A woman needs to carefully monitor her health: take vitamins, eat right, do not overcool or overheat, forget about medications and bad habits.

Giving up tobacco and alcohol will protect your baby from changes in DNA structure and congenital deformities.

The hormonal peak occurs precisely in the fifth week after conception. The embryo is already connected to the mother's body through the umbilical cord and draws vital resources from the nutrition and oxygen supplied by the mother.

Smoking during pregnancy allows the baby to be exposed to toxic tobacco smoke, which causes suffocation and severe intoxication. Such babies become addicted to nicotine after birth, and may experience respiratory arrest and spontaneous death.

During this period, the placenta is actively forming, and the mother's addiction can disrupt the natural physiological process. The consequences can be disastrous - changes in the circulatory system of the placenta, early detachment, bleeding and spontaneous termination of pregnancy.

Smoking at 6 weeks of pregnancy

In the sixth week, the baby resembles a tadpole, with dark spots where the eyes and nostrils will be. The outlines of limbs and cavities where the ears will be begin to appear. Ultrasound picks up the embryonic heartbeat, and blood begins to circulate in the developing body.

What harm does smoking do in the 6th week of pregnancy? Imagine a closed space where about four thousand toxic components are concentrated. The threat to the future baby is posed by tobacco smoke containing:

• nicotine, which constricts blood vessels;
• carbon dioxide, which causes oxygen deficiency;
• a strong carcinogen – benzene;
• hydrogen cyanide, used to kill rats;
• formaldehydes.

Now realize that the enclosed space is your womb with a growing new life that is forced to absorb all the toxic fumes. The saddest thing is that in this situation the baby simply has no choice.

Smoking at 8 weeks of pregnancy

Mothers should realize that smoking in the 8th week of pregnancy can cause pathologies in the formation of the baby's nasopharynx. Many have heard of such problems as "hare lip" and "cleft palate", but few know that such congenital deformities are solved by complex surgical manipulations. Therefore, mothers who smoke should not continue to look for excuses, but are recommended to get rid of nicotine addiction.

Smoking during pregnancy deprives the embryo of sufficient oxygen and causes dysfunction of the mother's circulatory system. These facts cause changes in the child's mental development, often leading to Down syndrome after birth.

Smoking at 10 weeks of pregnancy

The poisons from tobacco smoke are most harmful to the embryo at the first stage of development, when all vital organs and systems are being laid down. The baby inside the mother's womb experiences a double dose of nicotine intoxication, and the small and delicate developing organs are not able to withstand the harmful smoke.

So weak babies with congenital pathologies, susceptible to all sorts of illnesses, are born. It is not for nothing that some gynecologists equate smoking in the 10th week of pregnancy with a crime. The risk of spontaneous death of the infant increases, and the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby tend to zero.

At the end of the tenth week of gestation, the embryo moves into the fetus stage, when its active growth begins. Despite the fact that the risk of congenital defects is maximum in the first nine weeks of development, smoking in the 10th week of pregnancy can negatively affect the further formation of the baby's internal organs. The formation of the nervous system continues with the development of reflexes (lip movement, sucking reflex). The liver, kidneys, brain, diaphragm are also at the stage of improving their functional capabilities.

Smoking by mothers during pregnancy causes irreparable physiological and psychological damage to the health of the future baby. After birth, the child may have diseased lungs, a heart defect, intellectual disabilities, and mental disorders.

Smoking at 12 weeks of pregnancy

The first trimester of pregnancy ends with the twelfth week. All the organs of the fetus have already been laid down, the brain is almost formed. The child's skeleton reaches the ossification phase, characterized by the formation of bone substance. At this stage of intrauterine development, the thymus gland (thymus) actively functions, promoting the accumulation of T-lymphocytes (in the future, they are necessary to fight infection), and the thyroid gland, synthesizing iodotyrosine and regulating metabolic processes. The development and growth of tissues under the influence of thyroid hormones continues.

Smoking at 12 weeks of pregnancy will be absolutely inappropriate, since up to 14 weeks the vital systems of the baby's body are actively laid down. The influence of nicotine will primarily affect the natural development of organs. Carcinogens contained in cigarettes can cause physical abnormalities and mental problems. There is a high probability of miscarriage as a result of placental rejection due to disturbances in the placental circulatory system.

Smoking at 16 weeks of pregnancy

The sixteenth week of gestation is the accelerated formation of nerve cells neurons, which began to form in the fifth week. Now five thousand new cells appear every second. The pituitary gland is included in the work. In the sixteenth week, hemoglobin begins to be produced, the digestive function is added to the hematopoietic function of the liver.

Breathing continues through the umbilical cord, so smoking at 16 weeks of pregnancy does not bode well, except for more problems.

Each stage of intrauterine development is unique, created by nature to lay down or improve the functions of the new organism's systems. Your baby is already quite active: he can make faces, spit, make swallowing and sucking movements, turn his head. On ultrasound, you can capture his indignation about the incoming nicotine poison - grimaces, contraction of the body.

Smoking at 18 weeks of pregnancy

At eighteen weeks, the brain continues to form, and the baby's fatty tissue is formed. The immune system is gaining strength, having begun to produce substances that help fight viruses and infections. The baby in the mother's tummy detects penetrating light and sound vibrations.

If you continue smoking at 18 weeks of pregnancy and cannot control yourself, then the child will experience colossal nicotine intoxication. The bad habit is a factor that increases the risk of congenital pathologies.

Ideally, quitting nicotine addiction in long-term smokers should occur by the twelfth week of embryonic development. Maternal instinct, willpower, or spontaneous quitting of the bad habit can help.

Smoking at 23 weeks of pregnancy

The twenty-third week is the period of the beginning of the formation of the fat layer in the embryo and active growth. The development of the blood vessels of the lungs indicates their preparation for the respiratory function. The baby shows respiratory movements, but the lungs do not open. A small amount of amniotic fluid enters the baby's respiratory system, causing no harm and quickly absorbed. Respiratory "training" includes about sixty movements with a break of thirty to sixty minutes. This process is disrupted by smoking in the 23rd week of pregnancy, causing hypoxia. There is an opinion that a cigarette smoked by the mother makes the baby not breathe for up to half an hour.

Smoking during pregnancy in the sixth month provokes premature birth. Nursing such a newborn is a complex process and is characterized by a high probability of death of the infant. Complications in smoking mothers can be a stillborn child, placental abruption with profuse bleeding.

Smoking at 30 weeks of pregnancy

Doctors believe that getting rid of the harmful addiction to tobacco even at the thirtieth week of gestation will help the baby gain the necessary weight. During this period of development, a fat layer appears, causing the accumulation of calcium, iron, protein, and antibodies. The child develops periods of sleep and wakefulness, and the laying of features in the nervous system and mental state occurs.

Smoking at 30 weeks of pregnancy often causes early placental abruption, leading to premature labor. These complications are resolved by surgical intervention and are dangerous due to possible death of the fetus. Nicotine at this stage provokes a state of hypotrophy - a discrepancy between the physical development of the baby's organs and the period of pregnancy.

Smoking at 33 weeks of pregnancy

The thirty-third week of pregnancy brings the long-awaited event of the baby's birth closer. Smoking mothers should know that at this moment the pulmonary alveoli are being formed, and the liver acquires distinct lobes and its cells are arranged in a strict order that determines the performance of important physiological functions by the main chemical laboratory of the body. The moment of independent insulin production begins in the pancreas. The "adjustment" of all the baby's internal organs is completed.

It becomes clear that smoking at 33 weeks of pregnancy will not bring anything good to the child. Nicotine intoxication, insufficient oxygen and nutrients, developmental delays, organ dysfunctions, congenital pathologies - all these are the consequences of tobacco smoke.

Placental abruption and premature birth are also the result of smoking during pregnancy at 33 weeks. This pathological condition poses a serious threat to the baby's life and is fraught with severe blood loss for the mother.

Smoking in the first month of pregnancy

The first months after conception are characterized by the greatest vulnerability of the embryo, as all the main systems of the future baby are being formed.

As a rule, a woman learns about pregnancy no earlier than four to five weeks. The body is in for a hormonal shake-up, food preferences change, emotional instability and a number of physiological changes are observed (vaginal discharge, swelling of the nipples, nausea, etc.). Some women experience an aversion to cigarette smoke during this period. But it also happens that the restructuring processes do not affect the desire to take a couple of puffs.

Smoking in the first month of pregnancy is considered very dangerous due to the risk of miscarriage. The embryo does not receive enough oxygen, the process of physiological formation of organs and systems is disrupted. Passive inhalation of tobacco smoke is no less harmful, so teach your household to go out to "smoke" in the fresh air.

Smoking in the 5th month of pregnancy

By the fifth month of intrauterine development, the baby's limbs are already well developed, and he enjoys testing them in motion. The fetus's activity alternates with periods of calm. The baby is able to cough and hiccup, which future mothers can detect. The baby in the womb accumulates brown fat, which allows the body temperature to be maintained constant. The fat layer under the skin provides the baby with protection from hypothermia and substances involved in life processes. Sweat glands are formed in the skin.

Mom's smoking in the 5th month of pregnancy can cause a colossal disruption in delicate natural processes. With insufficient oxygen supply due to the action of nicotine toxins, the natural rhythm of development is disrupted.

At this time, premature birth, which can be provoked by active tobacco abuse, will be absolutely undesirable. A five-month-old baby is completely unprepared to meet the outside world, and his chances of survival are negligible.

Smoking in the 6th month of pregnancy

The fetus in the sixth month of development has a thin body, devoid of fat deposits, with developed limbs. Sweat glands begin to form in the skin, the eyes are still closed. This period is also characterized by the formation of papillae on the tongue, but the baby will learn to distinguish taste notes upon reaching the twenty-eighth week.

Wise nature has conceived the consistent formation of a new life with the laying down, development and, one might say, "maturation" of organs. Each stage of gestation is a subtle physiological process, which smoking during pregnancy can negatively change. The baby's internal systems are so easily vulnerable, and nicotine poison easily penetrates the placental barrier.

The baby already has developed facial expressions, and he reacts negatively to his mother's smoking in the 6th month of pregnancy, which doctors managed to capture during ultrasound scanning. Some babies make faces, grimace, even hold their breath at the mere thought of their mother's cigarette.

Smoking in the 8th month of pregnancy

Systematic smoking in the 8th month of pregnancy increases the risk of possible complications of this period - uterine bleeding, prenatal condition, miscarriage, etc. Maternal addiction to cigarettes affects the development of the baby in her womb. Among the pathologies in the baby are low weight, cases of spontaneous mortality in the first days of life after birth.

When the mother takes another drag, the baby, who is in a confined and smoke-filled space, coughs and chokes, his heart begins to beat faster, and the lack of oxygen deprives him of the opportunity to fully develop before birth.

Smoking in the 9th month of pregnancy

The last month of pregnancy is preparatory, when the baby gains about 250g per week and descends lower in the pelvic cavity. The first training contractions appear, short and painless. During this period, it becomes easier for the woman to breathe.

Smoking in the 9th month of pregnancy is characterized by the following complications:

• placental abruption and severe bleeding, which is an indication for cesarean section;
• possible exacerbation of hypertension;
• late toxicosis;
• premature labor;
• the risk of stillbirth increases.

Smoking in the last month of pregnancy

The number of expectant mothers who smoke is growing, sadly, in all countries. The increase in the number of unmarried women and the deterioration of social conditions are the reasons for the abuse of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. Moreover, expectant mothers are not stopped by warnings about a possible miscarriage or complications during pregnancy.

Smoking in the last month of pregnancy disrupts the woman's peripheral blood supply, which in turn causes hypoxia in the baby (lack of oxygen). For this reason, fetal underdevelopment may occur, and the risk of a premature baby is increased.

Carcinogens in tobacco smoke have a pathological effect on the psyche of the unborn child. The fact is that cigarette toxins provoke insufficient blood flow to the embryo's brain. This is how abnormalities of the nervous system and mental disorders appear. The results of some studies indicate a connection between smoking during pregnancy and Down syndrome in the child after birth.

Heart defects, nasopharyngeal defects, inguinal hernia, strabismus – this is a list of common problems of babies whose mothers were addicted to smoking during pregnancy.

Smoking in the first trimester of pregnancy

X-rays, alcohol consumption, medications and smoking in the first trimester of pregnancy cause irreparable harm to the baby. To understand what this is connected with, it is necessary to recall the stages of intrauterine development of the child.

During the first month, the heart, lungs, and brain begin to form, and the umbilical cord, through which nutrition enters and waste products are excreted, begins to form. The second month is characterized by the formation of limbs and the growth of the brain. The stomach and liver develop, and the development of other organs is noted. In the third month, the baby begins to move, which is not felt at all due to its small weight (about 30 g) and size (approximately 9 cm). This stage is the formation of the reproductive system.

It would be superfluous to remind you of the importance of the processes taking place, the ban on smoking during pregnancy, a balanced diet, following all doctor's orders and taking vitamins.

Smoking in the second trimester of pregnancy

The fourth month of pregnancy is a period of active intrauterine growth of the baby. The navel cord increases and thickens to receive more blood and nutrition. During the fourth and fifth months, there will be an increase in weight of about two kilograms. The expectant mother will begin to feel the first movement in the abdomen. In the sixth month, even more nutrients are required, so the woman should eat a balanced and regular diet.

Smoking in the second trimester of pregnancy, when the placenta is fully formed and functioning, provokes insufficient oxygen supply to the child. This contributes to the development of chronic or acute hypoxia, which disrupts the natural growth and development of the baby. Early maturation of the placenta, changes in its shape and thinning of the wall may occur. For these reasons, there is a threat of spontaneous labor and death of the baby.

Smoking in the third trimester of pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy poses a risk to both the expectant mother and the baby. A smoked cigarette causes spasms of the blood vessels in the placenta, which causes oxygen starvation of the fetus. Therefore, even passive smoking at the last stage of the baby's development causes irreparable harm. Children of mothers who smoke are prone to obesity, colds, allergic reactions, and diabetes.

Smoking in the third trimester of pregnancy can trigger early labor due to placental abruption. The placenta should be separated from the uterine walls only after childbirth, so premature placental abruption is a pathology that poses a threat to the baby's life. This condition is determined by bleeding, which worsens the woman's condition.

Another problem for smoking mothers at a later stage is gestosis, which also causes a number of complications due to changes in the vascular system of the placenta - disturbances in embryonic development, premature labor.

Smoking in late pregnancy

Doctors say that it is always better to give up smoking at any stage of pregnancy than to continue to persist in your unfavorable addiction. Quitting smoking even in the last month can reduce the risk of possible complications for a woman and her child.

What are the risks of smoking in late pregnancy? First of all, fetal hypotrophy, which is manifested by a discrepancy between the characteristics of physical development and the gestation period. Vascular spasms, leading to a decrease in blood flow to the uterus and a limitation of nutrients supplied to the baby, are the cause of hypotrophy.

Carbon monoxide entering the mother's body is a factor causing oxygen starvation in the child. Newborns with this syndrome lag behind in weight, gain it with difficulty and require intensive therapy and special care.

Smoking during pregnancy, nearing its end, causes a delay in the formation of certain organs in the baby - the liver, kidneys, brain. Such mothers have an increased risk of stillborn children or deaths during the first weeks of life. Health workers are familiar with sudden infant death syndrome, when death occurs for no apparent reason, often in sleep.

Enjoying nicotine before an imminent birth often provokes gestosis, the development of which to eclampsia threatens the life of the mother and baby. Gestosis is characterized by changes in the vascular system of the placenta, which causes inhibition of fetal development, placental abruption, provoking premature labor.

Consequences of smoking during pregnancy

It is quite difficult to predict all the negative effects of active and passive smoking during pregnancy, since some of the pathologies in the child appear years later.

Smoking four cigarettes daily is already a serious threat in the form of premature labor. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk factors for perinatal mortality several times.

In children, with increasing intensity of maternal smoking, a decrease in body length, head circumference and shoulder girdle size is observed. The consequences of smoking during pregnancy extend to stagnant processes in physical, intellectual and emotional development. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are most susceptible to bronchitis and pneumonia.

The most severe congenital anomalies in infants that develop as a result of maternal smoking include:

• defects in the development of the neural tube (dysraphism);
• heart defect;
• disturbances in the formation of the nasopharynx;
• inguinal hernia;
• strabismus;
• anomalies in mental development.

Tobacco abuse has an impact on the occurrence of trisomy (Down's syndrome).

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Pregnancy and smoking: how to quit?

Incompatible concepts – pregnancy and smoking. How to quit a bad habit? It turns out it’s not that difficult. If you’ve held out for the first twenty-four hours, then you’ve practically won. All that’s left is to control yourself when meeting with friends, in moments of nervous tension, boredom, etc.

Ladies, for whom the daily norm was more than ten cigarettes daily, are advised not to give up smoking abruptly. Pregnancy is stressful for the body, and changes in the established way of life, which includes smoking, can add tension to the physical and emotional state. A quick refusal of tobacco can reduce heart contractions and activate the contractile ability of muscles, which is fraught with spontaneous termination of pregnancy. Therefore, if you are a smoker with experience, stretch the process of "leaving" cigarettes in time (approximately three weeks). Reduce the amount of smoking daily and develop the habit of not finishing a cigarette to the end - you have satisfied your nicotine hunger with a couple of puffs and that's enough.

Passive smoking during pregnancy

Toxins from cigarettes enter the human body through tobacco smoke. The smoker himself absorbs no more than 20% of harmful substances, the rest of the carcinogens he releases into the surrounding air, poisoning random passers-by. One hour of passive smoking is enough to get a nicotine dose that provokes lung and cardiovascular diseases, developing the origin of cancerous tissues.

A factor influencing premature labor and lack of oxygen in the fetus is passive smoking during pregnancy. The penetration of cigarette smoke to the fetus increases the risk of developing pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma after birth. Children whose mothers inadvertently inhaled tobacco smoke during pregnancy are more likely to suffer from allergies and have weakened immunity.

Smoking hashish or marijuana during pregnancy

Marijuana is a smoking mixture made from the dried plant Cannabis sativa with the main chemical component delta-9-hydrocannabinol, which promotes altered consciousness.

Hashish is a substance made by pressing cannabis herb, with the main ingredient being delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Hashish is considered to be a stronger psychoactive substance than marijuana.

However, the effects of psychotropic products are similar: increased heart rate, decreased tone and dilation of the bronchi, reddening of the eyes. Narcotic substances affect the "pleasure centers" in the human brain, leading to a temporary feeling of euphoria. The payback will come in the form of memory problems, impaired coordination, toxic psychosis and other changes.

Smoking hashish during pregnancy often provokes prolonged labor. The negative impact of the substance on the baby concerns slow growth and development, decreased reproductive functions in adulthood, problems with the nervous system and vision.

Studies have shown that children of mothers who smoked marijuana during pregnancy show distorted reactions to visual stimuli, have increased tremors (active movements of the limbs as a result of muscle contractions), and are screamers. All of these facts may indicate problems in the nervous system.

The effects of marijuana on young children and schoolchildren indicated:

• behavioral disorders;
• decreased language perception;
• difficulty concentrating;
• poor memory and difficulty solving visual problems.

Smoking and alcohol during pregnancy

Smoking and alcohol during pregnancy are an explosive mixture, a double threat to the life and health of the child.

Alcohol abuse increases the likelihood of various kinds of abnormalities in the baby. Alcohol that has penetrated the fetus remains in the fetus's body twice as long as in the mother's blood. Even moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy does not guarantee the absence of mental and physical abnormalities in the newborn.

Smoking during pregnancy and drinking alcohol are factors in spontaneous abortion, premature birth and complications during labor.

The simultaneous effect of ethanol, acetaldehyde and nicotine on the embryo, especially in the early stages, can disrupt protein synthesis and lead to irreversible changes in DNA, causing brain pathologies.

Smoking during pregnancy is a conscious imposition of your will on the developing new personality; the same as offering a child a cigarette or a shot of vodka. If you still do not understand what the baby inside you feels like with tobacco smoke, look around you, find someone in your immediate circle who cannot stand the smoke of cigarettes, and watch them while you take a drag. Most likely, the poor fellow will hold his breath for a while, his face will distort into a grimace, he will start waving his hands near his nose, expressing dissatisfaction in every possible way. But this person has a choice - he can move away from you, which your future child cannot do.