Kick Tobacco to the Curb & Protect Your Unborn Baby’s Heart
Did you know that unborn babies exposed to tobacco are at higher risk of a-fib and stroke?
One in every 4,000 newborn babies will suffer from a stroke, and that risk increases drastically with smokers. It’s no news that smoking is bad for you, not to mention, highly addictive. But the chemicals tobacco contains, such as formaldehyde and tar that are absorbed by your lungs when you smoke, don’t only affect you.
Smoking is highly poisonous to your unborn child and can damage your baby’s lungs, heart and brain. Ingesting cigarette smoke decreases the amount of oxygen available to your baby, which can lead to respiratory problems and learning disabilities developing after birth. Smoking during pregnancy is also a known contributor to premature labor, premature deliveries and stillbirths as well as sudden instant death syndrome (SIDS). In addition, as a known stimulant, nicotine makes your baby’s heart beat faster which in turn increases their risk of a-fib or stroke.
Stroke is one of the top ten causes of death in children and, although sixty to eighty percent of infants that experience a stroke will survive, more than fifty percent of them will have neurological damage as a result.
It’s not only the tobacco that the expectant mother smokes that can be harmful. Just being around other people who smoke also puts you at risk. If you’re expecting, it’s best to avoid being around smokers. Second-hand smoke is smoke that you breathe in from someone else’s cigarette, cigar or pipe, and even though you aren’t inhaling it directly from the tobacco yourself, you are still breathing in smaller doses of the same chemicals which, over time, can have just as harmful an impact.
Smoking mild cigarettes or cutting back is also not a solution, because even though you may be inhaling less of the harmful chemicals, the fact that they are still present increases the risk that your baby will have health problems. E-cigarettes, which have become a popular alternative, should also not be used, as recent studies have shown a direct link between the chemicals found in e-vapors and certain forms of lung cancer.
Nicotine can be a very difficult habit to kick because it is so addictive. But even after just one day of no tobacco, your baby gets more oxygen, It’s often harder for expectant moms to quit because of the additional stresses that pregnancy can often cause. But take heart. By not smoking you are not only reducing your risk of developing serious diseases and ensuring your pregnancy goes more smoothly, but also safe guarding your unborn baby’s lungs, heart and other organs.
If you are a smoker and either trying to get pregnant or are pregnant, talk to your doctor. There are many helpful and supportive programs available to help you kick the habit, and ensure you and your child live longer, healthier lives.
Marvin D. Posner, MD, F.A.C.O.G. is a board-certified Perinatologist at Mission Hospital. The hospital is part of the St. Joseph Hoag Health network of care.
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