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How do I stop smoking when I'm pregnant? Here is THE guide to a smoke-free pregnancy, which will allow you to take care of your child with complete peace of mind!
October 26, 2018
Between the cigarette and your child, the decision is simple and final: goodbye smoking! If your pregnancy gives you all the motivation you need, don't doubt it: the battle will be hard. Don't worry, Kwit is here to help you and offers you guidelines for a tobacco-free pregnancy!
Smoking during pregnancy is dangerous for both the mother-to-be and the unborn baby. The risks are proportional to cigarette consumption. During this period even more, passive smoking is also very dangerous. You are pregnant and stress about quitting smoking? Kwit has prepared a guide to a tobacco-free pregnancy for you. And if you don't want to go through this ordeal alone, why not convince your partner to go through it with you?
Once the immeasurable happiness you felt from the news has subsided, a new thought – far less joyful — crosses your mind and quietly starts to settle: how will I manage to stop tobacco for good? The days go by, and you don’t light a single cigarette, but you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms and one question keeps coming back: is smoking this harmful for my baby? Your numerous medical appointments have convinced you that tobacco and pregnancy are not compatible.
This extremely hazardous combination is well-known and yet underestimated. Around 17.2% of women keep on smoking during the last three months of their pregnancy. Tobacco during pregnancy dramatically enhances the risks of extra-uterine pregnancy, premature childbirth or placental abruption. To put it simply, it multiplies the risks of having complications during the delivery for both the baby and the mother.
Consuming tobacco during pregnancy is also dangerous for the baby’s development. The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is 3 times higher and in utero growth retardation is common in babies who have been exposed to harmful cigarette smoke. The effects are visible as soon as the baby is born because of difference in height and weight, or poorly developed lungs, unable to function without medical help. Researchers have shown that cigarettes’ components cause an imbalance which can alter the neuronal development of the fetus. As they grow, these children will have health issues such as asthma and respiratory disorders, hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioral disorders and will have a lower IQ compared to children at the same age.
It seems that the effects of tobacco don’t cause the same health issues with boys and girls. Young girls exposed to tobacco during fetal development suffer from early puberty with the onset of menstruation between the ages of 8 and 10, which significantly increases the risk of adult breast and uterine cancer. Young boys have more liver damage and sometimes serious liver problems.
So, convinced? Here is the guide to a smoke pregnancy!
You have achieved a tobacco-free pregnancy by making your child's well-being a priority. Why mess it up now? Your baby is still just an infant and should not be exposed to tobacco more often. Tobacco is harmful during pregnancy but also afterwards!
Don't be one of the 82% of women who return to smoking after giving birth. Think of all the effort you put into your pregnancy, take this opportunity to move towards a smoke-free life!
If you need help, don't hesitate to download Kwit and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. We will help you overcome your cravings and will gladly share your successes. Also join the Kwitters community, and feel free to visit our tobacco-free pregnancy page!