You will agree (if not now at least by the end of the article) that smoking while pregnant is risky business for any expecting mom. The side effects of smoking even when pregnant are illustrated by the dangers of smoking. Smoking women in general are predisposed to cervical cancer.

Both mom and baby are better off without nicotine found in tobacco cigarette smoke.

The effects of smoking during pregnancy is the restriction of the amount of oxygen that is actually received by the baby. This makes second hand smoke and third hand smoke also hazardous to your unborn baby.

Mothers-to-be who smoke while pregnant run the risk of giving birth to too small babies who are low weight and sickly. In fact when you smoke while pregnant you set yourself in line for a premature birth or miscarriage altogether.

Even after the baby is born, it will be at an increased risk of SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome. SIDS mostly affects infants 1 month to a year old and suddenly kills over 2000 infants in the US each year. You might have heard about crib death. It's another non conventional name for SIDS.

Pregnant smoking, as some call it, might cause your baby to arrive with a cleft palate. This is a birth deformity normally occurring on the lips due to improper tissue development during pregnancy. It is strongly associated with smoking while pregnant. It is however a surgery treatable condition.

Your baby will suffer unnecessary pain and discomfort in correcting this condition.

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In women pregnancy is the leading reason for quitting smoking. Your quitting timing also has implications in as far as the smoking and pregnancy ill effects to your baby are concerned.Learn more about the advantages of quitting smoking enjoyed by ex-smokers that you can also start enjoying today.

One thing to remember is that it will be good for you to take your baby with you home from the hospital. Were you had been smoking while pregnant, the baby might be detained for examination. In the United States a new birth certificate format also includes the mother's smoking history during pregnancy. This might be a record you would rather have different for your baby.

Births of infants to mothers smoking while pregnant cost nearly $800 more than births to non-smoking mothers.Someone pays for this cost either your health care provider or yourself. One way or the other someone will pay.

In January 2009 researchers in Australia made headlines suggesting that your smoking during pregnancy heightened the risk of your child developing life threatening cancer. Your child will have an increased chance of developing leukemia, cancer of the brain or central nervous system, eye cancer and kidney cancer.

Somewhat surprising yet true, smoking while pregnant my contribute to your child's obesity later in life. The science behind it is that smoking poorly feeds your baby in the womb possibly giving them an urge to stock up nutrition after birth.

This is yet another pointer that smoking during pregnancy actually has longer term consequences than previously thought.

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Quitting during pregnancy - some facts

Asthma occurrences are higher in children born of mothers smoking while pregnant. Just after a day of not smoking your baby gets more oxygen facilitating normal growth.

Contrary to the myth, quitting during pregnancy does not stress your unborn baby in any way. It is in fact healthy for both mother and baby. Your baby will never share in your misery!

If you decide to switch to "low nicotine" "low tar" labeled cigarettes or such like Marlboro light cigarettes during pregnancy in the hope of reducing the effects on your baby; you are doing both no favor. All cigarettes have roughly the same level of nicotine.

Please keep in mind that tobacco companies are in business. They have board members to delight and shareholders to please. You are not really their priority. Even if you think you are. All signs point to quitting smoking .

I need to mention to you a very important point right at this point. Do not make your pregnancy the main reason for quitting. Quitting should be first and foremost about you not about any body else. You may have a look at these stop smoking tips.

A wrong motivating factor will in the medium to long term cause a smoking relapse. Too many people quit for "my husband", " my family". Now this is what happens. Should you be disappointed by any of these motivating factors, chances are high for a relapse.

You may wonder if quitting cold turkey is the best way for your smoking while pregnant. Yes it is and will not have any harmful effects on your baby. You will just have to contend with the difficulty especially if you are a heavy smoker. Mothers-to-be who are smoking while pregnant will overcome if they make a decision. It can be done. You may read other entries on after you quit smoking to find some helpful strategies.