Smoking and Pregnancy

Quitting smoking while pregnant

Protecting your baby from the effects of tobacco smoke is one of the best things that you can do give your baby the best start to life.

There is no safe level of smoking during pregnancy. You can reduce the risk of you and your baby developing serious health risks by quitting completely.

There is lots of support there for you to help you quit for you and your baby. Learn about the effects of smoking while pregnant and download our guide to get help quitting.

Can cigarettes affect your unborn baby?

Yes, smoking can affect your unborn baby.

Every cigarette contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are dangerous and can pass into your baby via the placenta.

When you smoke you also inhale carbon monoxide – a poisonous gas found in tobacco smoke, which reduces your blood’s ability to carry oxygen around the body and restricts oxygen supply to your baby. This causes babies’ hearts to beat harder to pump oxygen.

Pregnant women who smoke increase the risk of serious health problems for their babies before they are born, and into infancy and childhood.

Stopping smoking will help you and your baby

The good news is that by stopping smoking as soon as you can, you will reduce the risk of:

• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth (when your baby dies in the womb)
• Placental abruption (when your placenta comes away from the womb).
• Your baby being born prematurely
• Your baby being born with a low birth weight
• Abnormalities such as cleft lip or palate.
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Scientific research shows that children whose parents smoke are more likely to suffer from asthma, learning difficulties and ADHD.

What are the benefits of quitting while pregnant?

Quitting will have a positive effect on you and your baby straight away. Toxins, like carbon monoxide, that can be detrimental to the health of you and your baby will no longer be in your system.

By stopping smoking, you are more likely to have a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby.

When you quit, your baby’s heart will beat easier because the harmful chemicals in cigarettes are no longer there to restrict the oxygen supply to your baby.

At your booking appointment, your midwife will ask you about your smoking and offer you support to help you to quit. Their team will help you to make a plan to quit that fits in with your life and gives you the support you need to help you succeed.

Your local stop smoking service can also help. You are three times more likely to quit successfully if you combine support from an expert with a stop smoking aid. You can find your local stop smoking service here.

The sooner you quit, the better. Even if you stop during the latter stages of your pregnancy, it will still be better for you and your baby.

What is secondhand smoke and can it harm my baby?

Secondhand smoke is exhaled into the air after taking a draw on a cigarette. People around you can inhale this. Even when you open up the windows or doors, cigarette smoke still spreads around your home and almost 80% of tobacco smoke is invisible.

If your partner or someone you live with smokes, their smoke can affect you and your developing baby. It may be harder to quit if someone close to you is a smoker. It’s a good idea to ask those you live with to quit as well. Often by quitting together, many people find that they can help each other.

When you speak to your midwife, you should also let them know if you live with some that smokes. They can even support your partner or other people in your household if they smoke too.

Secondhand smoke can also affect your baby after it is born and they are also more likely to have bronchitis and pneumonia in their first year and may need to go to hospital.

Is nicotine harmful to my baby?

Nicotine is relatively harmless, but it is addictive. The main harm from smoking is caused by the carbon monoxide and the harmful chemicals present in tar and tobacco smoke.

This is why it is recommended that women use nicotine replacement products during pregnancy to help them manage nicotine withdrawal symptoms when quitting smoking. By combining different forms of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) with behavioural support, you are three times as likely to quit for good.

Stop smoking tablets such as cytisine, varenicline and bupropion are not recommended during pregnancy.

Is it safe to vape during pregnancy?

Vapes, often called e-cigarettes let you inhale nicotine in vapour form instead of tobacco smoke

A vape is an effective quit aid and many smokers find that they help them to stay smokefree.

Vaping is significantly less harmful than cigarettes. It does not create dangerous chemicals like tar or carbon monoxide.

If using a vape helps you to stay smokefree, this is far safer for you and your baby than continuing to smoke.

You can get free expert help from a stop smoking adviser or find out more which vape is best for you.

Smoking and breastfeeding

As a new mum, it can be hard not to slip back into smoking, but staying smokefree is the single most important thing you can do to protect your own health and protect your baby.

However, if you’re finding it hard to stay smokefree, it’s important not to stop breastfeeding. Breastfeeding will still protect your baby from infections and provide nutrients they cannot get from formula milk.

Are you struggling to quit while pregnant?

Find your free local face to face stop smoking service or ask your midwife to refer you for help to stop smoking.

Sign up to our text messaging service or get in touch with Stop Smoking London’s free helpline at 0300 123 1044.

Download our free guide “A Guide to Quitting Smoking During Pregnancy”