How Smoking During Pregnancy Will Damage Your Child for Life
Most women know if they smoke while pregnant they are putting their unborn child at risk. However, the complete extent of that risk is probably unknown. Woman who smoke while pregnant put their child at risk for a long list of negative consequences. Your child may even suffer from negative effects if you inhale second hand smoke. It's no longer just about protecting yourself but also protecting your unborn child. Even if you don't have support at home, there are support systems available and many safe methods for quitting. The following is information on the devastating effects smoking while pregnant can have on your child.
Talk to your prenatal doctor or your family doctor to get help quitting if you smoke and are pregnant. There are very many methods, approaches, and products available to help you quit smoking. You may still be getting nicotine from some of these quitting aids, however. Your baby can still absorb the nicotine from your bloodstream if you use a nicotine replacement patch, for example. This is better than inhaling hundreds of carcinogenic chemicals but the nicotine is still a health threat to your child. It's still best to discuss the best approach for you to use with your doctor.
Babies of smoking mothers are displaying an interesting trend. The babies in this category tend to have a higher heart rate than babies whose mothers did not smoke. A baby born to a smoking mother will have a heart rate that is about 30% higher than a baby whose mother doesn't smoke. We are talking about mothers who smoked during pregnancy. Why this condition exists is difficult to pinpoint. But it may be due in part to the baby not receiving the normal amount of oxygen because of the smoking.
Many people are now aware of the increasing incidence and diagnosis of ADHD, or Attention Deficit - Hyperactivity Disorder, in children. This condition is diagnosed in millions every year and the problem keeps growing. There are many causes for ADHD, however it is known by medical researchers that a pregnant mother who smokes a little more than half a pack of cigarettes per day have a marked tendency toward having hyperactive children. This increases the child's risk of being diagnosed with ADHD.
The effects of smoking during pregnancy are serious, severe, and potentially fatal for your unborn child. While most known effects passed on to your baby are not fatal you need to remember that you are compromising the health of your baby. Very many of the body's organs and processes will be negatively affected, and there is evidence supporting that your child's future behavior may be adversely affected, as well.