Stop smoking and pregnancy

Smoking makes it harder to get pregnant and increases the risk of complications throughout pregnancy and can damage a baby’s health throughout its life.

Smoking increases the risk of:

  • miscarriage – 25%
  • stillbirth – 40%
  • death of the new born (cot death) – 40%
  • low birth weight (undeveloped baby) – 300%
  • premature birth – 200%
  • premature rupture of the membranes – 300%
  • foetal malformation (cleft lip, cleft palate) – 30%

When mums-to-be inhale cigarette smoke, babies are exposed to over 4000 chemicals, including tar and carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) through the placenta.

If you are planning a family, pregnant or breast-feeding, stopping smoking, not just cutting down, is the most importanct thing you can do to protect yourself and your baby’s health.

It is also important that you do not inhale anyone else’s smoke as this will have the same negative health effects on you and your baby. Use this opportunity to make your home smokefree.

Please contact your midwife if you would like further details on the midwifery specialist stop smoking service.

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