Pregnancy And Baby Care Conditions During Pregnancy Effects of Smoking During Pregnancy

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Effects of Smoking During a Pregnancy

It is a very common question. During a pregnancy, a very common problem that is faced while smoking during a pregnancy is the occurrence of placenta privea.

A condition of placenta privea indicates that the placenta has grown too close to the opening of the womb and there is requirement for a caesarean delivery. Smoking can also affect the flow of blood to the placenta and may result in the placenta detaching itself from the uterine wall while the baby still needs the nutrition. This can definitely prove fatal to the developing baby.

Harmful Smoking Effects During Pregnancy

A few of the more harmful effects of smoking during a pregnancy include damage to developing nerve cells, brain malformation and poor brain functioning. Behavioral problems and learning difficulties are other effects triggered by maternal smoking.

These children normally develop respiratory disorders at an early stage. Another research carried out has proven that mothers's who tend to smoke during and after a pregnancy, have children who are four times more likely to lose their lives to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, caused by respiratory disorders that have been experienced at early stages. Another interesting fact to be noted about children of mothers who have smoked during their pregnancies is that they have more baby fat and less muscular mass than babies born to mothers who do not smoke. The long term effects of smoking during a pregnancy include giving birth to children who have a lowered birth weight. Because of their low birth weight, they are not as strong as children born to nonsmokers, and their rates of mortality are much higher. It is also essential to keep in mind that not only smoke that is inhaled directly, but also second and third hand smoke can have adverse effects on the development of the baby.