Why Is It So Dangerous to Smoke During Pregnancy?

Smoking is considered to be the number one cause of adverse outcomes for babies as suggested by the experts. When a woman smokes during pregnancy, that toxic brew gets into their bloodstream, which is the baby’s only source of oxygen as well as nutrients.

The most serious complications because of smoking includes stillbirth, premature delivery, as well as low birth weight. This all happens as a result of nicotine and carbon monoxide working together to reduce the baby’s supply of oxygen.

The gynecologists at Paras Hospitals explained that nicotine chokes off oxygen by narrowing blood vessels throughout the body that also  includes the ones in the umbilical cord. To make matters worse, the red blood cells that carry oxygen start to pick up molecules of carbon monoxide instead which are very much harmful for the babies.

Smoking also affects the baby’s weight, size, body, lungs, brain’s functioning as well as heart. The weight as well as the size of the baby decreases with the consumption of cigarettes as a pack-a-day habit during pregnancy will shave about a half-pound from a baby’s birth weight. If a woman smoked in the first trimester of pregnancy is more likely to have a heart defect at birth.

The gynecologists always recommend the pregnant women to prioritize their health as well as their baby’s by leading a healthy lifestyle and quitting harmful habits like smoking for the baby’s good health.