Stopping smoking in pregnancy
... will help both your baby and you immediately. Carbon Monoxide clears from your body in 48 hours, increasing the amount of oxygen your baby gets. You will also:
- reduce the risk of complications in pregnancy and birth
- be more likely to have a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby
- reduce the risk of stillbirth
Which means:
- your baby is less likely to be born too early and face health, feeding and health problems.
- your baby is less likely to be born underweight, which can cause problems during and after labour.
- you will reduce the risk of cot death (sudden infant death syndrome)
and it will help your baby later in life, reducing their risk of suffering from asthma and other serious illnesses.
Did you know...
.... that you can use Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to help you stop smoking in pregnancy
- NRT is a medication that provides you with a low level of nicotine, without the tar, carbon monoxide and other poisonous chemicals present in tobacco smoke. It can help reduce the unpleasent withdrawal effects, such as bad moods and cravings, which may occur when you stop smoking. While nicotine is the addictive substance in cigarettes, it is relatively harmless.
Effects of smoking in pregnancy
Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life. When you smoke or inhale second hand smoke during pregnancy, you are limiting the oxygen supply to your baby, making their heart work faster and exposing them to harmful toxins.
