Second Hand Smoke

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable pregnancy and birth complications. Pregnant women who smoke put their babies at serious risk. Secondhand smoke and smoking after the baby is born are also dangerous and important to take into consideration. Here’s what to know about secondhand smoke during and after pregnancy and how to get support you need during your journey to grow your family.

Secondhand Smoke Dangers During Pregnancy

Exposure to smoke or secondhand smoke during pregnancy can cause numerous health problems for the mother. These include an increased risk of miscarrying, preterm labor, placental abruption, and ectopic pregnancy. Smoke exposure has also been linked to an increased risk of developing preeclampsia, a potentially fatal condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine.

Babies exposed to secondhand smoke in utero are also at increased risk for several health problems, including low birth weight and premature birth.

Secondhand Smoke Dangers After Birth

Secondhand smoke exposure can have harmful effects on a baby even after birth. Even if you’re going outside to smoke, you’re still bringing in secondhand smoke on your skin, nails, hair, and clothing. Not only will exposure to smoke and secondhand smoke exposure put the baby at risk for serious health issues like asthma, bronchitis, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), it can reduce the amount of breast milk a mother produces and decrease the quality of her breast milk.

Studies have further shown that babies exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to develop behavior problems and attention deficit disorders as children and adults. Nicotine and other toxins can also be absorbed through the skin and babies may be at risk if large portions of their body come into contact with the clothing, skin, or hair of a smoker.

Quitting Smoking to Protect Your Baby

If you’re a smoker, quitting before you try to conceive (TTC) is one of the best things you can do for your future baby. A study conducted by the British Medical Journal determined that both male and female smokers had fewer children compared to nonsmokers. While smoking is a known cause of infertility among men and women, it’s not well understood exactly how this occurs.

Quitting smoking before trying to get pregnant can benefit you in many ways, including reducing the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth.

Tips For Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is hard, but it’s worth it for the health of you and your future baby. If you’re trying to conceive or are pregnant, protecting yourself and your baby from secondhand smoke should be a top priority. Here are some tips you can use that may be helpful:

  • Set a quit date and stick to it no matter what comes up.
  • Tell people who you’re close to that you’re quitting. Ask them for support.
  • Remove cigarettes and vapes from places you frequent, like home and work.
  • Avoid going to places where people smoke.
  • Drink water, chew gum, or use a fidget toy to keep your hands and mouth occupied.
  • Exercise to reduce stress and help with cravings.

Get Conception & Pregnancy Support At Viera Fertility Center

Our Melbourne fertility clinic offers a wide range of services to support you during your journey to conception and taking the next step to grow your family. Our goal is to help prospective parents find the individual solutions that will work best for them.

We provide expert advice on nutrition and lifestyle choices to help you conceive and have a healthy, successful pregnancy and birth experience. We also offer counseling, testing, and fertility treatments if you are having difficulty getting pregnant. If you are a smoker, we can provide you with advice and support to help you quit smoking, which is vital for the health of both you and your baby.

Contact our Melbourne IVF clinic to learn more about infertility, conception, and treatments. We can help you with artificial insemination, fertility drug therapy, and more.

In cases where endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and uterine fibroids are preventing conception, we provide treatment of pelvic disorders that can help hopeful mothers achieve their goals of pregnancy. Call now at 321.751.4673 (HOPE).