How smoking harms the baby during pregnancy. Severe consequences of smoking during pregnancy for mother and child. Results of smoking during pregnancy

The harm of smoking during pregnancy is not limited to the direct negative impact tobacco smoke for woman and fetus. Statistics show that children of smokers are born with nicotine addiction or a predisposition to it.

Congenital nicotine addiction and abstinence at birth is what a smoking mother gives to a newborn.

The main damaging factors of smoking include:

spasm-causing action of nicotine blood vessels and insufficient supply of tissues with oxygen and nutrients;
oxygen deficiency caused by the binding of part of the hemoglobin of erythrocytes to the carbon monoxide of a cigarette, which we already talked about earlier in the article;
violation of the absorption of vitamins, amino acids, minerals in the intestine, caused by the action of smoking.

Smoking and the resulting hypoxia are dangerous during pregnancy for both the woman and the fetus. In fact, he begins to die of suffocation while still in the placenta, swallowing amniotic fluid soaked in nicotine.

One of the indicators of a successful pregnancy is hematocrit - a value that reflects the number of red blood cells that can carry oxygen. A smoker, even with a high hematocrit, gives birth to underweight children.

Lack of weight and developmental delay is compensated, provided there are no other dangerous developmental deviations, only by the age of 6-7 years.

How smoking affects pregnancy

Smoking increases the risk of preterm birth by 2 times.
Miscarriages in smokers are observed 1.5 times more often.
The death rate of children during childbirth is 30% higher than that of non-smokers.
Risk sudden death newborns in smokers are 1.2 times higher.
The risk of intrauterine death in children of smokers is 1.2 times higher.
Underweight in newborns is 2.2 times more common.
The delay in intrauterine development is 4 times higher in the fetus of a smoker.

Features of the placenta of a smoker

the placenta is thinner than normal;
the weight of the placenta is less than normal;
placental blood flow is disturbed;
Premature maturation (aging) of the placenta is noted, which provokes untimely labor activity.

Smoking by trimester

The first trimester is characterized by the laying of the neural tube, all major organs. smoking on early dates pregnancy especially affects the laying of the nervous system, organs such as the brain, spinal cord.

The use of nicotine contributes to the appearance and severe course of late toxicosis. Weakening immune protection, violation of the vascular tone of the brain - all these are manifestations of the action of nicotine.

In the second half of pregnancy, smoking affects the body as a provoking factor, causing a state of preeclampsia, accompanied by convulsions, high pressure, respiratory failure. Preeclampsia threatens a woman's life, and the fetus often dies from lack of oxygen.

Smoking in late pregnancy threatens placental abruption, bleeding that is life-threatening for the baby and mother. Premature labor, difficult flowing, with low labor activity, are frequent in smokers.

How does passive smoking during pregnancy affect the health of the child, when the woman herself does not smoke, but is forced to inhale tobacco smoke?

With passive smoking during pregnancy in a woman:

risks increase;
- intrauterine developmental delay;
- death of the embryo before birth;
- early miscarriage;
- premature birth at a later date;
- the birth of a baby with underweight;
increases the risk of mental defects and physical development– by 13%;
The risk of stillbirth in passive smokers compared to non-smokers is increased by 23%.

Effect on the fetus

The degree of influence of smoking on the developing fetus during pregnancy, as well as the consequences for the child in adulthood, depends on the complex action of more than 200 highly hazardous components of tobacco smoke. The most dangerous of them are nicotine and carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide causes hypoxia - the slow death of a baby caused by a lack of oxygen, which manifests itself:

underweight at birth - the weight of a newborn is less than 2.5 kg, and on average, the weight of a full-term baby in a smoker is less than the norm by 319 g;
smaller head sizes;
smaller circle chest and therefore not enough developed function lungs;
increased blood viscosity, exceeding the norm by 30%;
fetal anemia.

Carbon monoxide forms carboxyhemoglobin with hemoglobin and, in a bound form, penetrates through the placenta into the amniotic fluid, and also enters the fetus with blood.

As a result of this dual mechanism of intake of respiratory poison, the fetus accumulates 15% more carboxyhemoglobin than is contained in the body of the smoker herself.

Smoking also has an independent teratogenic effect on the fetus, which manifests itself:

neural tube disorders:
- anencephaly - absence of the brain;
- the birth of a baby with a cleft lip;
- cleft palate in a baby;
- severe anomalies of mental development;
increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma malignant tumors lymphatic tissue other than Hodgkin's lymphoma;
the danger of Wilms tumor - malignant nephroblastoma of the kidney;
heart defects;
hernia;
strabismus;
nasopharyngeal defects;
genetic abnormalities:
- Down's disease;
hypoglycemia.

Smoking fathers also contribute to the deterioration of the health of the baby. So, children with malformations are 2 times more likely to be born to smoking fathers.

The probability of having a boy is also reduced in smoking parents, and in the son of smokers in adulthood, the concentration of spermatozoa in seminal fluid is 20% less than normal.

Is weakening reproductive function female baby. In girls, fewer eggs are laid, which already predicts problems with childbearing function in adulthood.

Withdrawal syndrome of the newborn

The harm from smoking that a smoking mother inflicts on her child during pregnancy lies in the fact that she forms an addiction to tobacco in the baby. The fetus develops nicotine dependence, the abolition of which causes withdrawal syndrome- breaking.

To a greater or lesser extent, abstinence syndrome is observed in 62% of newborns born to mothers of smokers.

In a newborn, the intake of nicotine into the body stops, a real withdrawal syndrome or abstinence develops with symptoms:

hyperexcitability;
spontaneous tremor, as well as tremor with anxiety, when, when touched, the newborn reacts with trembling of the limbs, convulsions, regurgitation, crying, piercing screams;
Moro reflex;
sleep disturbance;
pain syndrome.
increased risk of neonatal glycemia.

With severe breaking, the baby experiences severe pain, screams loudly for a long time, and cries continuously.

Asphyxia of newborns

Death from asphyxia, which is diagnosed in 1.5% of newborns, is caused by fetal hypoxia, which begins even in utero. Smoking is one of the risk factors that causes a lack of oxygen during fetal development.

There is evidence that indicates a relationship between the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the negative impact on pregnancy. But we must remember that even one cigarette constricts blood vessels for 1.5 hours.

At this time, the fetus does not receive enough oxygen, its brain, as the main consumer of oxygen, suffers the most from all organs.

If a woman is aware of the dangers of smoking and quits smoking before the 14th week of pregnancy, when the neural tube is laid, then her chance of giving birth is significantly increased. healthy child.

Refusal of a cigarette at any time relieves the blood of the fetus from the intake of poisons. The baby begins to develop normally, according to its gestational age, and the likelihood of having a healthy baby increases.

Read on for this article.

Of course, everyone has heard about the dangers of smoking. However, the number of smokers, unfortunately, is not decreasing. Moreover, you can often see a future mother with a cigarette. But she is responsible not only for her own life, but also for the health of the baby she carries under her heart. Let's see how smoking affects early pregnancy, what it can lead to.

Read in this article

What enters the body during smoking

Smoking negatively affects the state of all human systems and organs. From this destructive habit spoils appearance skin, teeth, circulatory, respiratory, digestive system, brain.

When cigarette smoke enters a woman's body, toxic substances also enter the child, and in high concentrations. An unformed embryo cannot withstand harmful effects.

Each cigarette contains the following hazardous substances:

nicotine;
resins;
carbon monoxide;
carcinogenic substances;
methane;
cadmium;
hexamine;
benzapyrene;
acetic acid;
butane;
arsenic;
methanol;
stearic acid;
ammonia;
toluene;
dye.

Some heavy smokers believe that simply reducing the number of cigarettes smoked per day is enough to clear their conscience. In fact, even 1-2 cigarettes daily have a detrimental effect.

What happens when a pregnant woman smokes

What is the danger of smoking in early pregnancy? When a woman inhales cigarette smoke, a vasospasm occurs in the fetus, which provokes oxygen starvation. The child begins to choke. That is why the smoking women premature babies are often born weighing less than 2.5 kg. Other parameters (length, circumference of the chest and head) also indicate that the baby is lagging behind in development.

Possible consequences of smoking when carrying a child

The consequences of smoking in early pregnancy for a child can be as follows:

premature birth;
lagging behind the child in physical, mental development;
intrauterine pathologies;
difficulties in the child with the perception of new information, lagging behind in the school curriculum;
allergic problems;
frequent colds.

Of course, gravity possible consequences depends on the frequency of smoking. However, even a few cigarettes a day can harm the fetus.

Smoking in the first trimester

The most dangerous is the effect of smoking on pregnancy in the early stages. If conception occurs spontaneously, not planned, the woman continues to lead a normal life, without giving up addictions.

Immediately after conception, the fetus is not yet protected by the placenta, so smoking can cause the greatest harm. It is in the early stages that all organs and systems of the embryo are formed. And with an external negative impact, a failure may occur, which subsequently manifests itself in pathology. skeletal system, heart and other organs.

To eliminate smoking in early pregnancy before the delay, you need to give up cigarettes at the stage of conception planning.

Smoking in the second and third trimesters

In late pregnancy, smoking can also lead to fetal abnormalities. Increases the likelihood of premature maturation of the placenta, early delivery.

If future mom smokes about 5-10 cigarettes per day, the risk increases. This pathology accompanied profuse bleeding in a woman in labor, the child during this period suffers from acute oxygen starvation. On an emergency basis, surgical intervention, while the risk of fetal death from lack of oxygen is quite high.

Silly myths about smoking during pregnancy

There are many different opinions about the effect of cigarette smoke on the course of pregnancy, on intrauterine development of the fetus. If a woman cannot find the strength to quit smoking, she clings to excuses and continues to poison herself and her child with smoke.

Myth 1. Quitting smoking abruptly is harmful to the health of the fetus. When a woman refuses cigarettes, her body begins to cleanse itself of toxins. This process also affects the child, causing harm to his body. Everything is so, however, continuing to smoke for a baby is much worse than quitting. bad habit.

Myth 2. Quality cigarettes will not harm the child. In fact, expensive cigarettes contain flavors that make the smoke more “tasty”. The damage is the same.

Myth 3. Lighter cigarettes are not as dangerous. Indeed, light cigarettes contain less tar, nicotine, but the smoker imperceptibly smokes more cigarettes every day in order to achieve the usual concentration of nicotine in the blood.

Myth 4. Feeling great- a sign of the norm. Some women believe that the most important thing is to feel good. If the expectant mother does not experience inconvenience, discomfort, then everything is in order in her body, and the child is not harmed. This is wrong. External signs there may be no intrauterine developmental disorder at all.

Watch the video about the effects of smoking in early pregnancy:

Marijuana and its effect on fetal development

Smoking marijuana in early pregnancy, during conception, disrupts the process of movement of the embryo from fallopian tubes into the uterus. Because of this, abortion often occurs. If, nevertheless, fertilization has occurred, but the woman continues to smoke weed, she may be pursued frequent vomiting, which seriously disrupt the nutrition of the fetus.

Among the most common consequences for a child are:

fetal growth retardation;
attention disorder in a child;
visual impairment;
problems with the nervous system;
hyperactivity;
irritability;
cognitive deficit;
underdevelopment of social interactions;
decrease in reproductive ability in boys;
increased risk of developing schizophrenia.

If a woman conquered her weaknesses and quit smoking as soon as she found out about the onset of pregnancy, the risks of developing pathologies are minimal. The main thing is to lead healthy lifestyle life, more often to be on fresh air, adjust the diet.

Of course, there are women who, despite smoking, give birth to healthy and fully developed children. However, the harm of smoking during pregnancy has been scientifically proven, so endangering your own is not born child in the hope that it is you who is lucky, stupid and dangerous.

The truth is: women do not smoke during pregnancy. Not so long ago, scientists proved that a child, still in the mother's stomach, accustomed to nicotine, runs the risk of becoming a fat smoking psycho with criminal inclinations and a "wolf" mouth.

The results of a study by scientists on the topic of smoking during pregnancy

Disappointing statistics: smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of its adverse completion of childbirth by almost 2 times! It can be said with certainty that it is possible to give birth to a child only if quit smoking before the baby is born, and even more so in any case do not smoke during pregnancy! But, unfortunately, not all women were able to refuse this addiction despite the threat.

German scientists have proved that for children of smoking mothers already in early age inattention, impulsiveness and useless overactivity are characteristic, even their level of mental development is below average. Most often, the so-called “Fidget Phil” syndrome develops - these children, as a rule, are aggressive and prone to deception. British doctors have concluded that children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy have a 40% increased risk of developing autism, mental illness, in which a person cannot contact the surrounding reality and is guided by the world of his own experiences. Trying to explain this fact, the scientists suggested that insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain of the embryo was to blame. In addition, it is possible that nicotine affects specific genes responsible for psychomotor functions.

In 2003, British scientists identified the relationship between smoking at an early stage of pregnancy and the birth of a child with a cleft face. According to the author of the study, Peter Mossy, the formation of the palate occurs at 6-8 weeks of gestation, and the expectant mother's smoking during this period can manifest itself in the form of a "cleft palate" or "cleft lip" in a child. Additional Research confirmed the guess. 42% of mothers whose children were born with a facial defect smoked while pregnant. As for non-smoking mothers, they had such “wrong” children twice as rarely. Around the same time, American researchers proved that women who smoked during pregnancy are much more likely to have clubfoot babies. The risk of clubfoot among such children is higher by 34%. And if, in addition, mother's smoking is combined with a hereditary factor, then the risk of clubfoot increases by 20 times.

Children of women who smoked during pregnancy

Children of women who smoked during pregnancy, a third more likely than everyone else, to be at risk of getting diabetes or obesity by the age of 16. Boys born to smoking mothers have smaller testicles and sperm concentrations in semen, on average, 20% lower than those of non-smokers. Children of such mothers are several times more likely to start smoking themselves than children whose mothers did not smoke during pregnancy..

The word mother is always and for everyone associated with love, tenderness, affection, care, but, despite all the warnings, for all the danger, women maim and even kill their children. First of all, his negligent attitude. How important it is to think about it, to think about it now. Young girls, and even boys, should also think about what lies ahead for them. Any normal person, sooner or later, begins to think about the continuation of their kind, they want normal, healthy, happy babies. Everything depends only on us and no one else. How often do you hear statements about bad ecology, that it is she who is to blame for all the problems and troubles of people. So to put it simply, we do not notice our misconduct and mistakes.

There are more smoking pregnant women than it might seem, but almost everyone hides this moment of their weakness, so those who want to participate in medical research very little. But this does not negate the fact that nicotine addiction poses a threat to the child on all fronts - from intrauterine development to complications during childbirth and even future mental development.

Let's make a reservation right away that there are still no exact statistics on this issue for a simple reason - it is very difficult for researchers to cover a sufficient number of participants to draw categorical conclusions.

For physicians, it is obvious Negative influence tobacco smoke for pregnancy, but among smokers, talk continues that this is an exaggeration.

Sometimes you can hear examples, they say, smoked, gave birth - and that's okay. The reason for such an unreasonably easy attitude of expectant mothers to smoking is that there really are no absolute guarantees of the harm of nicotine. But of course you understand that even existing risk- already a reason to abandon substances that can harm the fetus.

How serious is the harm from smoking during pregnancy?

It would seem that the question is rhetorical. And yet, many women believe that the consequences of addiction are either greatly exaggerated, or by some miracle will not affect them at all. Moreover, on the network on the forums, you can come across the opinion that it is absolutely impossible for a smoker to quit on time (it’s hard to understand why), there are even links to advice from gynecologists-obstetricians who do not recommend quitting!

It is up to you to decide how to treat such statements, but keep in mind that for more than 50 years, medicine has been studying the negative effects of tobacco on the body, and by no means in favor of the latter.

Remember that the tobacco companies don't sell you health, they advertise a way to keep yourself busy, relax or get together, a stylish look with a cigarette in your mouth and other ephemeral things.

On the other hand, the truth is that smoke brings toxins into the body, the neutralization of which takes enormous resources every day - blood, liver, lung cells, hemoglobin, brain neurons, and so on.

If you like to inhale smoke, okay, there’s no arguing about taste, but doesn’t your pregnancy require all your internal reserves to ensure the normal development of the fetus in the womb and a successful birth with subsequent feeding? Wasting what rightfully belongs to the little being inside of you is probably cruel and unwise.

Recall someconsequences of smoking during pregnancy:

the supply of oxygen from maternal blood to the fetus is reduced;
nicotine constricts peripheral vessels;
blood flow changes abnormally for 20-30 minutes after each cigarette;
the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body negatively affects the composition of the blood of a pregnant woman;
the heart of the baby in the womb begins to beat more often, tachycardia causes weight loss of both the expectant mother and the child inside, which can be born with underweight and poor vitality;
liver cells work hard to remove toxins from the blood, overstrain of the vessels of this organ and its ducts causes excruciating gastritis;
from problems with the stomach, hemoglobin drops - the child receives less nutrition in the womb;
the still developing fetal brain suffers, it is reduced normal amount its cells, other important organs are incorrectly laid;
in special cases, when the mother did not let the cigarette out of her mouth until the very birth, the newborn gets a ready addiction to nicotine, although he himself has never smoked!

Among the mildest consequences, let's name at least the fact that the children of smokers are restless and constantly cry and scream. Whoever thinks that this is not a problem simply does not know what the price of an infant's cry is - from loss of consciousness in mothers who have not slept for a week to a hernia in the babies themselves.

Severe consequences are birth defect heart, underdevelopment of tissues internal organs and a skeleton with muscles (“cleft lip”, “cleft palate”). These troubles happen without cigarettes, but with them the risk increases incredibly!

So if you have bad habit and weak nerves, then you probably think that the “withdrawal syndrome” of nicotine and the psychological discomfort from it during pregnancy will bring you suffering and harm.

Weigh sensibly: what are you more afraid of - your irritability and dry mouth when you want to smoke, or the problems described above in your future son or daughter? The answer is obvious, right?

What are the effects of smoking cannabis during pregnancy?

So, for example, those women who do not smoke tobacco sometimes do not deny themselves the use of other substances. There is nothing wrong, they believe, to sometimes relax with "weed", especially since everyone knows about it medical applications, But…

Smoking marijuana during pregnancy jeopardizes the future intelligence of the baby! psychoactive substance(tetrahydrocannabinol) quickly penetrates into the blood of the expectant mother, and about 10% of its content enters the bloodstream of the fetus through the placenta.

At the same time, using marijuana and protecting an unborn child will not work - everything that is in the mother's blood will be in the child. However, there is a high risk of developing convulsive syndrome in a newborn, and then - from underweight and asthma to severe genetic disorders. Pregnant women should give up bad habits and addictions as soon as they find out about their new position.

Harm of passive smoking during pregnancy

The widespread occurrence of this habit has led us to the fact that in almost every family someone smokes, which means that other family members are at risk - passive smoking:

passive inhalation of cigarette smoke is almost equal to the use of cigarettes by a smoker;
one hour spent in a smoky room produces the same effect on the body as one and a half smoked cigarettes;
living in an apartment with a smoker and avoiding the influence of smoke is impossible - the combustion products contained in the smoke are absorbed into furniture, wallpaper, things and for years (!) release toxins into the environment of the whole family;
passive smokers do not receive the same dose of nicotine as active smokers, but they suffer much more from tar and toxic substances from the smoke;
non-smoking women in the same apartment with a smoker risk breathing problems, anemia, runny nose, lethargy and muscle aches, and pregnant women - increased toxicosis.

The terrible thing is that smoke from the air penetrates into the lungs and from there into the blood, even with minimum concentration. The liver of a pregnant woman is already under stress, as are the cardiovascular and nervous system, and then there is such a blow in the form of "exhaust gases" from cigarettes. If you are waiting for replenishment, and tobacco clouds envelop you at home - fight this immediately!

Demand respect for yourself and your baby, if necessary - defend your right to clean air tough and uncompromisingly. It is better to make a good scandal and forbid smoking in the apartment than to suffer in silence and put yourself in danger of a miscarriage.

Native people with an addiction to tobacco can become your problem in another way. Passive inhalation of smoke for ex-smokers becomes the factor due to which they again take up a cigarette - secretly, a little bit, "one puff".

From time to time questions about smoking during pregnancy appear on the Mama.ru forum. Many women are wondering if they should quit smoking as soon as the fact of pregnancy is confirmed, or will it be a big stress for the body and for the unborn baby? We decided to answer this and other questions by debunking a few myths about smoking during pregnancy.

1. Quitting smoking abruptly can negatively affect a child

Previously, it was believed that a sharp refusal of cigarettes upon the appearance of two strips on the test could harm the fetus. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support this view. On the contrary, the sooner the expectant mother quits smoking, the lower the risk of spontaneous abortion and premature birth.

Another thing is that quitting smoking overnight can be difficult for the woman herself. Then she needs to consult not only with her gynecologist, but also with a therapist who will help choose the least safe way for the mother and child to get rid of nicotine addiction.

2. If you smoke less, the risk of pregnancy complications decreases.

This is not true: there is no safe dose of nicotine for the expectant mother and fetus. Of course, reducing the number of cigarettes smoked during the first months of pregnancy is a good start, but such a strategy is not suitable for the entire period of bearing a child. The ultimate goal of a pregnant smoker should be to completely quit nicotine as soon as possible. Smoking is not worth it either during pregnancy or after - cigarettes harm both the baby in the womb and the baby that has already been born.

3. Light cigarettes are not that harmful.

Any cigarettes are a mixture of hazardous substances that harm both a woman and her unborn child. Regardless of the type, brand, length, and thickness of cigarettes, they are all a source of risk for placental abruption, low birth weight, preterm labor, and other complications and problems during pregnancy. According to statistics, the probability of adverse development and completion of pregnancy in a smoker is twice as high as in a woman who does not smoke or gave up cigarettes at the planning stage.

4. It is easier for smokers to give birth because they do not have large children.

This pure water artifice. A smoker can have both a small baby and an overweight baby. In any case, underweight or overweight for an infant is a serious risk. Such babies different reasons are more likely to be admitted to the intensive care: some are born unable to maintain constant temperature body, while others are diagnosed with low (or, conversely, high) blood glucose levels.

5. I'm healthy, my older kids are healthy - there's nothing wrong with smoking

Perhaps your mother smoked when she was pregnant with you and you were born healthy. Or maybe your friend smoked, who gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby. Or you yourself smoked when you were carrying your eldest child - and he was born completely normal. However, you and your acquaintances are not the most objective statistics. No one knows exactly how and how seriously it will affect a particular child. bad habit his mother. The fact remains: nicotine addiction can cause fetal malformations and often causes poor health of the child, because nicotine and other dangerous (including radioactive) substances overcome the placental barrier. Why risk your child's well-being once again?

6. The gestation period is already long, so there is no point in quitting

Of course, there is always a point - no matter if you are in the fourth or 30th week of pregnancy. Quitting nicotine will allow your baby to get more oxygen, better prepare for birth (after all, it will take him a lot of strength and energy), and reduce the amount that comes to him through the placenta harmful substances. In addition, if you quit smoking even a week before giving birth, it will be much easier for you to endure contractions and, most importantly, breathe, which is important during this crucial period.