Smoking in early pregnancy: before delay

Consequences of late-term smoking for the pregnant woman herself

The consequences of using tobacco products in the third trimester of pregnancy, which, according to medical statistics, are observed in most clinical cases, gynecologists include:

Early aging of the placenta, during which it acquires an irregular shape and its thickness decreases. This, in turn, can cause intrauterine fetal death or provoke premature birth.
Smoking in the last month of pregnancy leads to gestosis or late toxicosis, which develops with exacerbation of hypertension, as a result, provokes circulatory disorders and increases the risk of placental abruption and the likelihood of premature birth . Placental abruption leads to acute hypoxia in the fetus and severe bleeding in the mother, which can only be stopped by surgery.
Increased episodes of dizziness, problems associated with varicose veins and the digestive system, causing bowel irregularities.
If you smoke until childbirth (38-39 weeks), the fat content decreases and the amount of milk secreted during lactation decreases. The consequence of this is a violation of the development of children, the need for an early transition to artificial feeding, which in turn does not ensure the creation of a strong immune system for the baby , which he receives during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
An increase in the load on a woman’s cardiovascular system leads to a weakening of the immune system, the entry into the acute phase of chronic diseases of the pregnant woman and the emergence of new pathologies .
The appearance of a lack of vitamin C and the deterioration of the immune system, metabolism in the mother’s body, due to the high content of nicotine in the body, the appearance of depressive symptoms and deviations in the process of assimilation of protein components of food.

In its most severe form (eclampsia), toxicosis at this stage can cause the death of the baby and even the mother.

Thus, timely cessation of smoking during pregnancy planning not only ensures happy motherhood, but also causes minimal harm to the fetus and the mother’s body, exhausted by pregnancy and childbirth.

With a cigarette in the third trimester: what is the danger to the fetus?

In addition to the numerous consequences of a negative habit in the last trimester for the mother, experts emphasize the wide-ranging harm to the developing fetus. Among the most common consequences, gynecologists call:

Smoking several cigarettes during the day at 27-29 weeks of pregnancy affects the developing internal organs of the baby and ensures the penetration of nicotine through the thin layer of the placenta. When smoking, the amount of carbon monoxide that binds oxygen increases in the mother's body, leading to its deficiency.
The action of nicotine narrows the vessels that penetrate the umbilical cord, reducing the already small amount of oxygen, which provokes hypoxia. As a result, children are born with weak lungs that are unable to breathe independently, which in turn increases mortality in the first weeks of a child’s life.
The appearance of a discrepancy between the physical development of the fetus and the gestational age occurs when vasospasm reduces the blood supply to the uterus, as a result of which the child’s body does not receive the nutrients necessary for development.
If there is such a problem after birth, the child is small in height and weight, there is a need to place him in a special intensive care ward. However, this measure does not provide a complete solution to the problem, since children with birth malnutrition in the process of further development are susceptible to the appearance of various diseases, do not gain muscle and bone mass well , and require additional care.
With malnutrition, there is a high probability of delayed development of individual organs and systems of the child’s body. The most common deviations relate to delays in the development of the kidneys, liver and brain, pathologies in the development of internal organs, limbs and facial features. Using tobacco products during the last 13 weeks of pregnancy increases the likelihood of birth defects such as cleft palate or cleft lip.
Systematic smoking at 32–37 weeks of pregnancy blocks the child’s body’s independent production of insulin, leads to dysfunction of the baby’s internal organs, and ensures the formation of congenital pathologies.
The appearance of a complex of disorders of the child’s mental development, pathology of the emotional sphere, inadequate perception of reality, deterioration in the ability to perceive information and memory. Such children have a more complex process of social adaptation and are often registered with a pediatric neurologist, speech therapist and psychologist.
One of the consequences of a mother’s bad habits during pregnancy is sudden infant death syndrome. Despite the lack of a proven correlation between maternal smoking and the unexpected death of the child, experts argue that it exists at the level of a complex of consequences laid down in the child’s body when the mother smokes in the third trimester of pregnancy, listed above.

An increase in the child’s propensity to smoke; according to medical statistics, children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more susceptible to this vice while growing up compared to their peers whose mothers led a healthy lifestyle.

The combination of negative consequences forces most mothers to give up their addiction. However, despite this, there is a certain percentage of women who do not give up using tobacco products, even at risk to the life of the fetus and their own health.

Can't quit smoking? Make a decision, order one of these smoking cessation products:

Tibetan collection
Tabamex drops
Monastic tea

You've been addicted enough already! Quit without pain, weight gain or irritability.

What happens when a pregnant woman smokes

Why is smoking dangerous in early pregnancy? When a woman inhales cigarette smoke, the fetus experiences vasospasm, which provokes oxygen starvation. The child begins to choke. This is why women who smoke often give birth to premature babies weighing less than 2.5 kg. Other parameters (length, chest and head circumference) also indicate a baby’s developmental delay.

Possible consequences of smoking while pregnant

The consequences of smoking in early pregnancy for a child can be as follows:

premature birth;
child's retardation in physical and mental development;
intrauterine pathologies;
difficulties in the child with the perception of new information, lag in the school curriculum;
allergic problems;
frequent colds.

Of course, the severity of the possible consequences depends on the frequency of smoking. However, even a few cigarettes a day can harm the fetus.

We also recommend reading the article alcohol and pregnancy: is it possible to have at least a little bit? From it you will learn how harmful this or that alcohol or low-alcohol drink is, as well as what you can replace them with.

Smoking in the first trimester

The most dangerous effect of smoking on early pregnancy is considered. If conception occurs spontaneously, not planned, the woman continues to lead a normal lifestyle without giving up bad habits.

Immediately after conception, the fetus is not yet protected by the placenta, so smoking can cause the greatest harm. It is in the early stages that all organs and systems of the embryo are formed. And with external negative influence, a malfunction may occur, which will subsequently manifest itself in the pathology of the skeletal system, heart and other organs.

To eliminate smoking in the early stages of pregnancy before the delay, you need to give up cigarettes at the stage of planning conception.

Smoking in the second and third trimesters

In late pregnancy, smoking can also lead to abnormal development of the fetus. The likelihood of premature ripening of the placenta and early delivery increases.

If the expectant mother smokes about 5–10 cigarettes per day, the risk of placental abruption increases. This pathology is accompanied by heavy bleeding in the woman in labor; during this period, the child suffers from acute oxygen starvation. Surgical intervention is performed as an emergency, and the risk of fetal death from lack of oxygen is quite high.

What to do if you want to smoke during pregnancy?

In order to minimize negative consequences for the health of a pregnant woman and child, experts recommend adhering to a number of rules, including:

If a woman has not quit smoking before conception, experts do not recommend abruptly giving up the bad habit , since the resulting stress can lead to spontaneous termination of pregnancy.
It is recommended to quit smoking gradually , reducing the number of cigarettes consumed over 3 weeks. Follow our recommendations and you will forget that you ever smoked.
It is not recommended to smoke a whole cigarette; it is enough to take a few puffs, stretching one cigarette 3-4 times without increasing the number of smoke breaks. to reduce the number of puffs each time , leaving more and more of the unsmoked cigarette each time.
It is advisable to switch to slims , since they have a lower nicotine content and stretch more heavily, as a result of which fewer harmful substances actually enter the woman’s body.
It is recommended to avoid the company of people who smoke and avoid staying in smoking areas , since the harm of passive smoking for a pregnant woman is even greater.
It is necessary to eliminate or minimize situations that cause nervous stress and provoke the desire to smoke.

Ideally, you should stop smoking a year before your planned pregnancy, but if this does not happen, try to minimize the risk to your own health and the life of the fetus by following the tips described above.

Good to know:

8 ways to overcome the craving for smoking that are safe for pregnant women.
How can alcohol and cigarettes ruin you and your child?
What does your doctor think, knowing that you smoke during pregnancy?

Read more about smoking during pregnancy in the article at the link.

Stupid myths about smoking during pregnancy

There are many different opinions about the effect of cigarette smoke on the course of pregnancy and on the intrauterine development of the fetus. If a woman cannot find the strength to quit smoking, she clings to excuses and continues to poison herself and her child with smoke.

Myth 1. Quitting smoking is harmful to the health of the fetus.

When a woman gives up cigarettes, her body begins to cleanse itself of toxins. This process also affects the child, causing harm to his body. This is true, however, continuing to smoke is much worse for a child than giving up a bad habit.

Myth 2. High-quality cigarettes will not harm a child.

In fact, expensive cigarettes contain flavorings that make the smoke more “tasty.” The same damage is caused.

Myth 3: Lighter cigarettes are not as dangerous.

Indeed, light cigarettes contain less tar and nicotine, but the smoker, unnoticed by himself, smokes more cigarettes every day in order to achieve the usual concentration of nicotine in the blood.

Myth 4. Feeling great is a sign of normality.

Some women believe that the most important thing is to feel good. If the expectant mother does not experience inconvenience or discomfort, it means that everything is in order in her body and the child is not harmed. This is wrong. There may be no external signs of intrauterine development disorders at all.

Watch the video about the consequences of smoking in early pregnancy: