Ways to Make Smoking Less Harmful While Pregnant?
Nope. Smoking’s not just bad, it can be deadly — each year over 1,000 babies die because their moms smoked during the pregnancy — and there’s no way around that. When you inhale cigarette smoke — no matter what brand it is or where you do it — you expose your baby to nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar, which in turn can reduce his oxygen supply, restrict his growth, damage his lungs and increase his risk of being born with a serious birth defect.
The ideal time to quit smoking is while you’re trying to conceive, but if you’ve found yourself a pregnant smoker, it’s not too late. Remember: Quitting ASAP is the best thing you can do for baby right now. If you’re having a tough time kicking the habit, it’s definitely better to use a nicotine patch or gum than a cigarette, since there’s no smoke involved. But those quitting aids still feed your body (and your baby) nicotine, which is a stimulant and can harm baby’s growth and development. So only use nicotine products if they’re an endpoint to helping you quit, not as a replacement for cigarettes, since there really is no acceptable amount of nicotine for your baby. Otherwise, do whatever you can to quit today — try free smoking-cessation counseling from the National Cancer Institute (Smokefree.gov), or speak with your OB about other proven methods to help you quit for good.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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Melissa M. Goist, MD, assistant professor, obstetrics and gynecology, The Ohio State University Medical Center
