The Many Effects of Smoking During Pregnancy
Subscribe To Our Feed
The effects of smoking during pregnancy are detrimental on both the woman and the child. These range from somewhat mild to very extreme. Also, the effects of smoking during pregnancy does not only effect the baby but has continual effect through childhood and possible adulthood.
Complications in the Mother
The complications that they mother may experience because of the effects of smoking during pregnancy can occur both during pregnancy and delivery. The mother can be hospitalized due to excessive vomiting, develop urinary tract infections, or have a ectopic pregnancy, which is when the fertilized egg does not grow in the correct place.
Also, the placenta can separate from the uterine wall before delivery or there can be too much amniotic fluid. Since the effects of smoking during pregnancy can cause the mother to have a miscarriage or a stillbirth, psychological problems, such as depression, can arise. Finally, death of the mother can occur due to hemorrhage during childbirth.
Complications in the Child
The effects of smoking during pregnancy on a child can be assigned into four categories. The four categories are size, genetic abnormalities, illnesses possibly developed later in childhood, and death.
The size of the newborn is greatly altered due to smoking for two reasons. The first of the two is preterm delivery. Second, the size is altered because rather than nutrients crossing the placenta, chemicals such as nicotine and carbon monoxide reach the baby. Without the nutrients, the baby is often underweight, which increase his or her chances of becoming ill.
The effects of smoking during pregnancy can also cause genetic abnormalities. The abnormalities can be cleft lip and cleft palate. Also, bowel problems can be experienced. Abnormalities can also occur in sensory systems such as the eyes and ears. More severe consequences are also seen. These include spinal cord problems, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation.
Consequences can also develop later in childhood. In early childhood, respiratory problems, such as asthma, can be seen. Also, behavior disorders often times develop in toddlers. Other consequences can be seen in adolescents, which include increased likelihood of smoking themselves. The worst consequence of the effects of smoking during pregnancy is sudden infant death syndrome, which is also known as SIDS.
The effects of smoking during pregnancy is a major issue that women, men, parents, and children have to deal with. These effects not only touch the lives of mothers and the fetus but the newborn baby, toddler, and then the teenager in the future, with possible problems as an adult.
Technorati Tags: effects of Smoking During Pregnancy
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
Smoking While Pregnant: A Selfish ActSecond Hand Smoke: One of the Harmful Effects of SmokingSide Effects of Smoking That You Might Find Particularly Surprising
August 14th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
“So, You’re Having a Baby!” is the perfect book to help you prepare for the most Special time of Your Life. This Ebook Comes With Audio And Will Provide You With True Peace Of Mind During Your Pregnancy…. Having A Baby Ebook And Audio education.
Helpful Tips on Having a Baby
There are many ups and downs of pregnancy but, the truth is the ups will always out number the downs as, having a baby is the most wonderful experience that there can ever be. Information is great, but too much information can leave an expectant parent’s mind swimming in a vast sea of “what if?” which will surely cause much more harm than good. Life, as you know it is about to change.
Because it can be difficult to get all the folate you need from your diet, it’s a good idea to take folate supplements, which help prevent neural tube defects like Spina Bifida, one of the most common of all birth defects. Being underweight or overweight can result in problems with ovulation. You are also more prone to high blood pressure in pregnancy if you are overweight, which can be dangerous if left untreated.
Couples can have fertility problems because of health problems, in either the woman or the man. Common problems with a woman’s reproductive organs, like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease can worsen with age and also affect fertility. There are many different reasons why a couple might have infertility. One is age-related. Women today are often delaying having children until later in life, when they are in their 30s and 40s.Women generally have some decrease in fertility starting in their early 30s. And while many women in their 30s and 40s have no problems getting pregnant, fertility especially declines after age 35.
HCG, changes in estrogen levels and even changes in blood glucose levels can bring about morning sickness. Morning sickness usually occurs in the early period of pregnancy, in the first three months. It is very popular among women, as almost 80% of them have nausea and puke in the morning. The truth is while nausea is one of the early signs of pregnancy and labeled “morning sickness” it may not strike a pregnant woman just in the mornings.
Tingling and numbness of the fingers and a feeling of swelling in the hands are common during pregnancy. These symptoms are due to swelling of tissues in the narrow passages in your wrists, and they should disappear after delivery. A woman’s breasts increase in size and fullness during pregnancy. As the due date approaches, hormone changes will cause your breasts to get even bigger in preparation for breastfeeding. Your breasts may feel full and heavy, and they might be tender or uncomfortable.
If you are vegetarian, you should take extra care to ensure you have an adequate intake of two nutrients that are particularly important during pregnancy - iron and calcium. Good sources of iron for vegetarians include fortified breakfast cereals (check the packet), tofu, wholegrain bread, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, pulses, dried fruits and even plain chocolate. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, provide you with many important nutrients while helping you feel full longer. Surround yourself with foods that are good for you. If junk food poses too much temptation, keep it out of the house.
Postpartum depression can affect a mother’s ability to parent. She may lack energy, have trouble concentrating, be irritable, and not be able to meet her child’s needs for love and affection. Many women, especially with their first babies, think they are in labor when they’re not. This is called false labor. So don’t feel embarrassed if you go to the hospital thinking you’re in labor, only to be sent home!
It is recommended that you should start slowly with a 10 minute exercise and then gradually increase it. You should keep a limit of approximately 30 minute on your exercise time but in case of any sign of dizziness or short of breath you should immediately cease it. Get comfortable. If you’re breast-feeding, feed your baby right before you exercise. Wear a supportive bra and comfortable clothing.
Teenagers as a group have significantly higher complication rates both during pregnancy and delivery. In teenagers under 15 years of age, these complications can be caused by biological immaturity. In teenagers aged 15 or over the complications are generally associated with poor preconception health and poor antenatal care. For teens who want to learn more about teen pregnancy, they can go to many anonymous sources, besides the internet.
About the Author:
Get more amazing advice on Having A Baby in our eBook And Audio from http://onestopeproducts.com/
If you are interested in joining our affiliate network: Click Here
Or leave us a Blog on our Social Network.