Smoking Risks and Pregnancy

Filed in archive Pregnancy on April 29, 2007

I admit it. I smoked when I was pregnant. In fact, I smoked from morning to night and, when I couldn't sleep, I smoked during the night, too. My youngest child is over 30, so this was many years ago. I wasn't aware of the risks involved with smoking while pregnant, both to the mother and to the unborn child. But, even then, I felt it was wrong.

I was lucky. My children are all healthy, at least so far. But I sometimes wonder if they would have been any different, healthier or smarter, if I hadn't been a smoker.

Why didn't I quit? Who knows? Even today, with all the knowledge available, women still smoke when they're pregnant. Perhaps many of them aren't aware of the risks, either.Medical News Today says:

"Our research shows that prenatal smoking appears to be more common in pregnant women who are already vulnerable - those who are unmarried, have less than high school education, and have lower personal incomes," says Renee Goodwin, assistant professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School, and lead scientist. "They also are likely to have limited access to health care services, which may contribute to a lower likelihood of some women quitting smoking upon becoming pregnant."

Pregnancy's Weekly Blog states:

Experts say smoking during pregnancy is a preventable cause of illness and death among women and newborns, and more needs to be done to educate women about the risks.