Effects of carbon monoxide
Your baby receives all the oxygen, nutrients and antibodies they need from your blood supply. When you smoke (or if you breathe in other people’s smoke) the carbon monoxide, and other damaging chemicals, restricts the oxygen your baby gets. This affects your baby’s growth and development and causes your baby’s heart to beat harder every time you smoke.
Smoking also increases the risk of:
- miscarriage
- stillbirth
- low birthweight
- premature birth
- sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Stopping smoking will help you and your baby immediately. When you stop smoking, it only takes 24 hours for the harmful CO and other chemicals to clear from your bloodstream. Your baby will start getting more oxygen through the placenta very quickly and you will reduce the risks of complications in pregnancy and birth. Find out how you can get help to stop smoking.
Testing your carbon monoxide levels
Your midwife should carry out a carbon monoxide test as part of your routine antenatal care. This simple test will show how much of this gas you and your baby have been exposed to.
Watch our short animation on the effect of smoking in pregnancy
NHS Choices. Stop smoking in pregnancy. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/smoking-pregnant/ (Page last reviewed: 07/11/2019). Next review due: 07/11/2022)
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) (2014) Stopping smoking. https://ash.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/StoppingSmoking-BenefitsAndAids.pdf
Read more about smoking in pregnancy
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Get help to stop smoking
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The risks of secondhand smoke
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7 common myths about smoking
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What happens when a pregnant woman smokes in pregnancy
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Carbon monoxide testing in pregnancy
When you smoke, carbon monoxide replaces some of the oxygen in your blood and affects your baby. Your midwife will test your carbon monoxide levels.
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Effects of smoking on your baby
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Smoking and pregnancy
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Electronic cigarettes and vaping
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10 great reasons to quit smoking
Stopping smoking now will make a big difference to your health and the health of your baby. Here are 10 great reasons to quit.
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Smoking and pregnancy - anonymous story
One mum shares her experience of smoking during pregnancy and why she urges other mothers to try and quit to protect yourself and the health of your baby. -
Are vapes and nicotine patches safe to use in pregnancy?
The media have reported a link between nicotine replacements and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) this week. We take a look behind the story.