Smoking during pregnancy affects your and your baby's health before, during, and after your baby is born. The nicotine (the addictive substance in cigarettes), carbon monoxide, lead, arsenic, and numerous other poisons you inhale from a cigarette are carried through your bloodstream and go directly to your baby. Smoking while pregnant will:
Lower the amount of oxygen available to you and your growing babyIncrease your baby's heart rateIncrease the chances of miscarriage and stillbirthIncrease the risk that your baby is born prematurely and/or born with low birth weightIncrease your baby's risk of developing respiratory problemsThe more cigarettes you smoke per day, the greater your baby's chances of developing these and other health problems. There is no "safe" level of smoking for your baby's health.
