What Are The Risks Of Smoking While Pregnant

August 10, 2022

Characteristics Of The Included Studies

Your Health- Smoking while pregnant and the lasting effects for generations

Most reviews were published since 2010. Only 13 reviews investigated a health condition related to mothers the other 49 reviews analysed infant-related conditions, except two which evaluated the impacts on both. Key characteristics of the included reviews are provided in Additional file : Table S2.

In most reviews , the included studies were predominantly from HICs, and 22 of the included reviews covered studies from HIC only. In two reviews most of the included studies were concerned with upper-middle-income countries.

In 12 reviews, the country of focus of the included studies was not provided. However, one of them conducted a meta-analysis of the studies from Europe only, and in five reviews, the language of the included studies was either only English or languages which are only spoken by HICs. In the remaining six reviews there was no indication of whether the studies focussed on LMICs or HICs. Nevertheless, when interpreting the results of these reviews, the possibility that studies which were conducted in LMICs have been included in addition to HICs should be born in mind.

How Does Grease Monkey Affect Your Health

When it comes to the side effects of smoking Grease Monkey, there are a few things to consider. For starters, this strain is known for its high THC levels. This means that it can cause some pretty intense psychoactive effects. In fact, many users report feeling couch-locked after smoking just a small amount of this stuff. So if youre looking for an energizing smoke, Grease Monkey is probably the best choice.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Grease Monkey contains very little CBD. This means that its not really effective in treating conditions like anxiety and depression. However, it can still be helpful in managing pain and inflammation. Just be aware that the high THC content could make your symptoms worse if youre not careful.

Finally, its important to remember that smoking any kind of cannabis comes with certain risks. These include lung damage and an increased risk of cancer . If youre worried about these risks, you might want to consider vaporizing or edible options instead of smoking Grease Monkey joints.

Health Effects Of Smoking And Secondhand Smoke On Babies

Mothers who smoke are more likely to deliver their babies early. Preterm delivery is a leading cause of death, disability, and disease among newborns.1,2
One in every five babies born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy has low birth weight. Mothers who are exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant are more likely to have lower birth weight babies. Babies born too small or too early are not as healthy.1,2,3

Both babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome than babies who are not exposed to cigarette smoke.1,2,3 Babies whose mothers smoke are about three times more likely to die from SIDS.1
Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant or who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth have weaker lungs than other babies, which increases the risk for many health problems.1,2,3

Smoking reduces a womans chances of getting pregnant.1,2

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for pregnancy complications.1,2
Tobacco smoke harms babies before and after they are born.1,3

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Impacts Of Smoking During Pregnancy On Mothers

Overall, of the 14 reviews that reported the impact of smoking on mothers, all except two conducted meta-analyses . The reviews presented consistent findings, suggesting a significantly increased risk associated with smoking and seven health conditions. The highest risks were reported for spontaneous miscarriage in assisted reproduction and ectopic pregnancy . Two conditions were found to be negatively associated with SDP. Hence, women who smoked whilst pregnant were less likely to experience these two conditions.

Impacts Of Smoking During Pregnancy On Infants

Infographic About Dangers Smoking Pregnant Women Stock Vector (Royalty ...

Studies found a smoking-related increased risk for 20 conditions and the highest impact was observed for sudden infant death syndrome , asthma , LBW , stillbirth and obesity . Studies did not find any significant association between 15 conditions and SDP, including autism, brain tumors, breast cancer in daughters and testicular cancer in sons. On the other hand, a protective impact on skin defects was observed in one review .

Most studies investigating the impacts of SDP on infants conducted a meta-analysis , and only nine did not include this . In these studies, there was no significant relationship between maternal SDP and lung functions, or Tourettes syndrome.

The age group of study participants varied between studies for example, some conditions were assessed amongst infants while some were measured in adults. In some reviews, participants were both infants and adults. Table lists health conditions by the life stage they were assessed.

Table 1 Health impacts of maternal SDP on infants by life stages

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Is It Okay To Smoke One Cigarette A Day While Pregnant

The risk to a fetus has not been proven to decrease significantly when you cut down on the amount of or strength of cigarettes you smoke. It is much better to quit smoking as early as possible for your health and the health of your unborn baby. You can quit smoking at any time while pregnant.

Nevertheless, quitting during your first 15 weeks of pregnancy offers the greatest benefits for your unborn child. If you can quit smoking before your third trimester, you will minimize the possibility your baby may be born underweight.

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Longer Term Effects Of Smoking While Pregnant On Children

Smoking while pregnant can have further-reaching implications for your child. Babies and children whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are at increased risk of:

asthma, chest and ear infections, pneumonia and bronchitis

psychological problems in childhood, such as attention and hyperactivity issues, as well as adverse behaviour
performing poorly at school.

When a woman stops smoking during pregnancy, all the risks described above decrease .

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Can You Just Cut Down On Smoking Or Do You Have To Quit

You may think that light or mild cigarettes are safer choices during pregnancy. This is not true. Or you may want to cut down rather than quit smoking altogether. Its true that the less you smoke, the better for your baby. But quitting is best.

The sooner you quit smoking during pregnancy, the healthier you and your baby can be. Its best to quit smoking before getting pregnant. But quitting any time during pregnancy can have a positive effect on your babys life.

On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. Quitting smoking reduces your risk of cancer and other diseases, like heart disease. When you quit smoking, you never have to go outside and look for a place to smoke. And quitting smoking can help you have:

Cleaner teeth, fresher breath and a better sense of taste
Fewer stains on your fingers

Fewer skin wrinkles
More energy to be more active

If you need help to quit smoking, tell your health care provider.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy During Pregnancy

Discover What Can Happen When You Smoke While Pregnant

It is recommended that you first try to stop smoking without medication. However, if you are unable to quit, you may use nicotine replacement therapy to help you. While using these products is considered safer than smoking, even this smaller amount of nicotine may not be entirely risk-free for your baby.

If you are pregnant, it is important to talk with your doctor before using nicotine replacement therapy to discuss the risks and benefits of using it. The Quitline counsellors can also help you decide what support is best for you.

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Effects On Ongoing Pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy can lead to a plethora of health risks to both the mother and the fetus.

Women who smoke during pregnancy are about twice as likely to experience the following pregnancy complications:

premature rupture of membranes, which means that the amniotic sac will rupture prematurely, and will induce labour before the baby is fully developed. Although this complication generally has a good prognosis , it causes stress as the premature child may have to stay in the hospital to gain health and strength to be able to sustain life on their own.

placental abruption, wherein there is premature separation of the placenta from the attachment site. The fetus can be put in distress, and can even die. The mother can lose blood and can have a haemorrhage they may need a blood transfusion.
placenta previa, where in the placenta grows in the lowest part of the uterus and covers all or part of the opening to the cervix. Having placenta previa is an economic stress as well because it requires having a caesarean section delivery, which require a longer recovery period in the hospital. There can also be complications, such as maternal hemorrhage.

According to a 1999 meta-analysis published in The American Journal of Preventative Medicine, smoking during pregnancy is related to an reduced risk of developing pre-eclampsia.

Premature birth

Implications for the umbilical cord

Pregnancy-induced hypertension

Tic disorders

Is It Safe To Use E

No. E-cigarettes contain chemicals, like nicotine, that can harm you and your baby. Flavors and other chemicals in e-cigarettes may be harmful to you and your baby. Breathing in someone elses e-cigarette vapor also may be harmful. More research is needed to better understand how e-cigarettes affect women and babies during pregnancy.

If youre pregnant and using e-cigarettes, talk to your health care provider about quitting.

Using Marijuana While Pregnant: What Are The Risks

As a result, usage is rising in the general population, including among pregnant women. A lot of women wonder if smoking weed or consuming marijuana in another form is OK during pregnancy.

While estimates are tricky, four to 10 percent of women currently report using marijuana while pregnant. This is a definite increase from the past and the actual percentage is probably higher because of a self-reporting bias. Think about your answers when we ask you how much you smoke, drink, exercise, or weigh!

But just because using marijuana is more socially or even legally acceptable does not mean its safe for your unborn child.

How Can I Quit Smoking

There is no one way to quit smoking that works for everyone, since each person has different smoking habits. Here are some tips:

Hide your matches, lighters, and ashtrays.
Designate your home a non-smoking area.

Ask people who smoke not to smoke around you.
Drink fewer caffeinated beverages. Caffeine might stimulate your urge to smoke. Also avoid alcohol, as it also might increase your urge to smoke and can be harmful to your baby.
Change your habits connected with smoking. If you smoked while driving or when feeling stressed, try other activities to replace smoking.

Keep mints or gum on hand for those times when you get the urge to smoke.
Stay active to keep your mind off smoking and to relieve tension. Take a walk, exercise, or read a book.
Do not go places where many people smoke, such as bars, clubs, and smoking sections of restaurants.

Look for support from others. Join a support group or smoking cessation program, such as Cleveland Clinicâs Smoking Cessation Program. For more information, please call 216.444.5819, or go to http//my.clevelandclinic.org/tobacco.
Ohio Quit Line: 1.800.QUIT.NOW or go to www.smokefree.gov.

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Where To Get Help

Chamberlain C, O’Mara-Eves A, Porter J, Coleman T, Perlen SM, Thomas J, et al. Psychosocial interventions for supporting women to stop smoking in pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 2. Art. No.:CD001055. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001055.pub5.
Greenhalgh, EM, Ford, C, & Winstanley, MH. 3.7 Pregnancy and smoking. In Greenhalgh, EM, Scollo, MM and Winstanley, MH . Tobacco in Australia: Facts and issues. Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria 2021.
Greenhalgh, EM, Ford, C, & Winstanley, MH. 3.8 Child health and maternal smoking before and after birth. In Greenhalgh, EM, Scollo, MM and Winstanley, MH . Tobacco in Australia: Facts and issues. Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria 2021.

Napierala M, Mazela J, Merritt TA, Florek E. Tobacco smoking and breastfeeding: Effect on the lactation process, breast milk composition and infant development. A critical review. Environmental Research 2016 151:321-338.
Coleman T, Chamberlain C, Davey MA et al. 2015 Pharmacological interventions for promoting smoking cessation during pregnancy, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, vol. 12, CD010078.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s mothers and babies 2020 – in brief. Cat. no: PER 101. Canberra: AIHW 2021.

Congratulations On Your Pregnancy

Expecting a baby usually increases the pressure to stop smoking. We get that and were here to help.

Quitting early on in pregnancy is best, but quitting at any time gives your baby a better chance of a healthy start in life.

Speak to a Quitline counsellor to help you during your pregnancy, whether youre ready to quit or not sure. Request a Quitline callback. Your midwife and GP can also offer quitting information and support.

Quitline can support you right through to the birth, and in the weeks after your baby is born.

How Does Secondhand Smoke Affect Pregnancy

Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from a burning cigarette and smoke exhaled by a smoker.

The smoke that burns off the end of a cigarette or cigar actually contains more harmful substances than the smoke inhaled by the smoker. There is no safe level of secondhand smoke.

If you are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant, you will have an increased chance of having a stillbirth, a low-birth-weight baby, a baby with birth defects, and other complications of pregnancy.

Babies and children exposed to secondhand smoke may also develop asthma, allergies, and more frequent lung and ear infections.

Smoke travels through vents and under doors. Even very brief exposure can make breathing problems worse for babies. Here are some things you can do to reduce your babyâs exposure while youâre pregnant and after your baby is born:

Donât let anyone smoke in your house.
Donât let anyone smoke in your car.

In colder weather, encourage smokers to use the same jacket whenever they smoke outdoors, and preferably leave it outside.
Keep your baby away from places where people smoke.

Preterm Premature Rupture Of Membranes

The dangers of smoking Marijuana while pregnant

Preterm premature rupture of membranes is a condition in which the amniotic sac breaks, leaving you and your baby more susceptible to infection and increasing the likelihood of premature delivery.

One study found that pregnant people who smoked heavily increased their risk of PPROM in the early gestational age.

Effects Of Smoking During Pregnancy

Smoking even one cigarette exposes you and your baby to over 4,000 chemicals . It also means less oxygen and important nutrients can reach your baby through the placenta .

If you smoke or are exposed to smoke, youll have increased levels of the poisonous gas carbon monoxide in your body than those who dont. That means the amount of oxygen your baby receives will be restricted . Because of this reduced oxygen supply, your babys heart is under strain every time you smoke .

The harmful effects of smoking while pregnant can include:

sudden infant death syndrome, or cot death

increased risk of infant mortality.

What The Research Says

Statistics gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us that:

Approximately 10% of women reported smoking during the final trimester.

Of those who smoked three months before getting pregnant, 55% quit during their pregnancy, but the relapse rate within six months of delivery was 40%.

If you are planning to get pregnant or you’re already pregnant and you smoke, take the important step towards quitting by finding the resources and support that works for you. It’s worth every bit of work it takes to quit smoking, both to give your child the best possible start in life that you can and to live long and healthfully yourself.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

How Can Smoking Affect Your Baby

When you smoke during pregnancy, chemicals like nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar pass through the placenta and umbilical cord to your baby.

These chemicals are harmful to your baby. They can lessen the amount of oxygen that your baby gets. This can slow your babys growth before birth and can damage your babys lungs and brain.

If you smoke during pregnancy, your baby is more likely to:

Be born prematurely, before 37 weeks of pregnancy

Have birth defects, including birth defects in a babys mouth called cleft lip or cleft palate. Birth defects are health conditions that are present at birth. They change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. Birth defects can cause problems in overall health, how the body develops or how the body works.
Have low birthweight. This means your baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces.
Die before birth from miscarriage or stillbirth. Miscarriage is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Stillbirth is when a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Die of sudden infant death syndrome . SIDS is the unexplained death of a baby younger than 1 year old. SIDS usually happens when a baby is sleeping. Its sometimes called crib death because the baby often dies in his crib.

If you smoke and are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, tell your provider. Your provider can help you quit.