What happens when a pregnant woman smokes?

How does smoking during pregnancy affect babies?

When you smoke, your baby does too. Every cigarette contains 4,000 chemicals, which go into your lungs when you smoke. Once in your lungs, the nicotine, poisons and carbon monoxide cross the placenta to your baby.

How can smoking during pregnancy harm my baby?

Research shows that smoking in pregnancy may harm your baby in a number of different ways. These include:

• a higher risk of miscarriage
• a higher risk of premature birth
• a greater chance of having a low birth-weight baby
• a higher risk of stillbirth.

Your child’s development

Smoking when pregnant can also affect your child as they grow up. Babies and children whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are also at great risk of:

• sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• colic
• infections in the airways
• ear infections
• asthma
• conditions such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

Smoking during pregnancy has also been linked to psychological problems in childhood, disruptive behavior and poor educational performance.

Stopping smoking reduces all these risks.

Talking to your midwife about smoking

At your first antenatal appointment, your midwife will ask lots of questions about your lifestyle, including whether you smoke or have recently quit. You'll also be asked whether anyone in your household smokes.

It’s very important that you tell them if you smoke. Your midwife will not judge you if you are a smoker. They know how hard it is to stop and they will be very keen to help you in any way they can.

Find how you can get help to stop smoking in pregnancy