Smoking during pregnancy is not only dangerous for the expectant mother, but also negatively affects the development of the child. Many pregnant women who smoke assume that an abrupt cessation of smoking and the associated withdrawal symptoms harm the child and therefore do not hang up cigarettes.
However, there is no scientific evidence that withdrawal symptoms pass on to the baby. In contrast, there are numerous studies that prove the negative consequences of smoking during pregnancy. So every cigarette that is not smoked benefits the baby and his development.
That's why we want to introduce you to more about smoking during pregnancy in this article and show you a few alternatives on how to quit smoking faster.
Why is smoking harmful during pregnancy?
Of course, smoking is not only harmful to us during pregnancy, but also has a negative effect on our health at all times. When tobacco is burned, a mixture of over 4000 different substances is produced, of which at least 250 are carcinogenic or toxic. Nicotine is a particularly powerful poison that can lead to long-term health damage in the body.
The nicotine content contained in cigarettes is usually not high enough to trigger acute nicotine poisoning , but years of smoking promote diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, chronic bronchitis and many more. When smoking, the blood vessels become contaminated and vascular calcification occurs. Because of this, the body can no longer be supplied with sufficient blood and the risk of heart attacks, strokes and circulatory disorders in the arms and legs increases.
The lack of oxygen also affects the development of the baby during pregnancy. Nicotine is absorbed directly by the placenta and thus passes to the fetus. The nicotine is not only deposited in the blood of the pregnant woman, but also to a high concentration in the uterine lining. As a result of smoking, more and more pollutants reach the unborn baby and it can no longer be adequately supplied with oxygen and nutrients. So every cigarette during pregnancy is smoked by the baby.
Smoking in pregnancy: consequences
The lack of oxygen to the fetus and reduced blood flow in the placenta can trigger a number of developmental and growth disorders. These are summarized under the term 'fetal tobacco syndrome'. A study by the Austrian Societies for General and Family Medicine shows the consequences of smoking during pregnancy.
Passive smoking during pregnancy
Cigarettes harm the baby, whether they are actively or passively smoked. For healthy development, the child needs a smoke-free environment. In plain language, this means that not only the expectant mother should stop smoking, but also the father should never smoke in the presence of the child and also not in the apartment, because pollutants and smoke particles can settle everywhere on furniture and in carpets.
Puffing on the cigarette creates a very high combustion temperature, which inactivates some of the toxins contained in the cigarette. In the case of sidestream smoke, there is a higher concentration of some pollutants, even up to 100 times higher than in mainstream smoke. For this reason, pregnant women should never be in the immediate vicinity of a smoker.
Even after birth, a smoke-free environment is important for the child. Children breathe faster than adults and thus absorb more toxins and pollutants. In addition, their body weight is lower and the immature detoxification organs make it harder for them to break down the pollutants. As a result, passive smoking children are more susceptible to sleep disorders, lung, middle ear, meningitis, coughing, asthma and have slightly elevated blood pressure.
Quit smoking during pregnancy
To avoid the diseases described above, there is only one way out: quit smoking. Quitting smoking with the has many benefits , not only for the pregnant woman herself, but also for the child and its development.
If you want to have children, you should stop smoking as early as possible. After quitting smoking, fertility is also increased and the oxygen supply in the blood gradually improves.
Snus as an alternative to smoking
Since snus is a product that is taken exclusively orally and does not involve a combustion process, the dangers of passive smoking can be eliminated when consumed. For fathers-to-be who do not manage to quit smoking, this is a good alternative so as not to harm the pregnant woman and the child.
Snus can also help with smoking cessation, as the products have different levels of nicotine. Particularly strong products such as Siberia Black -80 Degrees WDP have a nicotine content of 43 mg/g. Slightly less nicotine contains Skruf Super White Fresh with 18 mg/g. In addition, there are completely nicotine-free snus, such as Edel CBD Mint . Thus, a gradual withdrawal can be successfully carried out.
Sources:
https://www.baby-und-familie.de/Gesundheit/So-gefaehrlich-ist-Passivrauchen-fuer-Kinder-222339.html
https://www.minimed.at/medizinische-themen/gesundes-kind/rauchen-schwangerschaft/
