Waiting For Kate

Facts About Smoking During Pregnancy:

When you smoke... so does your baby. When you smoke you inhale poisons such as nicotine and carbon monoxide. These poisons get into the placenta, which is the tissue that connects you to your baby and sends oxygen, nutrients, and eliminates wastes. These poisons keep your baby from getting the proper supply of nutrients and oxygen that he or she needs to grow.

Smoking during pregnancy can cause low-birth weight, preterm delivery, and infant death. Smoking during pregnancy is estimated to account for 20 to 30 percent of low-birth weight babies, up to 14 percent of preterm deliveries, and about 10 percent of all infant deaths according to American Lung Association.

Second hand smoke CAN cause problems for your baby. According to the American Lung Association, new studies have shown that if a woman is around second hand smoke during pregnancy, there are added risks. You have a greater chance of having a baby that weighs too little and may have health problems.

There can be long term health risks for your baby. Smoking during pregnancy can cause your baby to have more colds, lung problems, learning disabilities and physical growth problems.