Five Ways Your Smoking Is Affecting Your Baby’s Development

Smoking is hard to quit, even while pregnant. The anxiety and stress often triggered by pregnancy can cause cigarette cravings, but smoking does more harm than good to both mother and baby. Regardless of whether a mother has smoked during a previous pregnancy or she has been smoking throughout the first few weeks of the trimester, refraining from smoking can help reduce the risk of these common health issues in babies:

1. Low birth weight – One in five babies born to mothers who smoke are reported to have a lower birth weight than normal. Babies born too small or too soon are at risk for illnesses.
2. Early birth – Preterm birth puts babies at risk for developmental disabilities as well as other illnesses associated with premature birth.
3. SIDS – Babies born to mothers who smoked while pregnant and are exposed to secondhand smoke are three times more likely to die from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), also known as crib death.
4. Tissue damage – Babies born to smoking mothers are at risk for tissue damage, particularly in the brain, lungs and heart.
5. Defects in the mouth and lip – Studies suggest there is also a link between mothers smoking while pregnant and cleft palate, which is an opening in the roof of the mouth that occurs when the tissue does not fully fuse together.

If you’re ready to stop smoking, it’s not too late. Consider Quit Now Kentucky. It’s a free, convenient resource available in all areas of Kentucky. Not only will you receive one-on-one help, but you’ll also receive gift cards for your progress.

For more information about Quit Now Kentucky, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW, text QUITKY to 797979 or visit QuitNowKentucky.org.