Do you think that pregnant women should be allowed to smoke cigarettes?

Question

It's a girl in my class at college who's 6 months pregnant and she smokes everytime we have a break between classes. She even asked another girl for a cigarette and the girl gave it to her! I was shocked. I understand that it's her body or whatever but it's another human being inside of her that's inhaling all of that smoke and I know that it has to have damaging affects on the fetus. What do you guys think? How would you feel if you saw a pregnant girl smoking? Does anyone know the side effects?

I only said "allowed" to smoke because there isn't a law against not smoking while you're pregnant. I don't condone this one bit, don't get me wrong!

Answer 1

Smoking during pregnancy can lead to premature birth and other birth defects. But stress can be a lot more harmful. If a woman was to get pregnant unexpectedly, and was a smoker and couldn't or didn't quit right away, the stress she would put her body through trying to quit in the 2nd trimester could be a lot more harmful than smoking at all. I became pregnant unexpectedly and am a smoker. I was finding it hard to quit, which is horrible I know, but I was very open about it with my doctor, and he informed me of all this. Needless to say I thankfully quit during my first trimester and my son is very healthy, wasn't premature and had no problems. In fact, he was quite large. But some people get lucky when it comes to this, and others don't. Smoking does cause serious birth defects in some cases, which is not fair to the unborn child.

Answer 2

My sister smoked while she was pregnant both times. She did cut down a lot (since before she was smoking full flavor menthols a pack a day and she switched to req. ultra lights and only had like 3 a day) Both her children are healthy. It's taking a risk but it should be up to her not someone else.
Do you know what it's like to smoke a pack a day and than suddenly you find out your pregnant so your "not allowed"
Qutting is really difficult even if you tell yourself that theres a little baby inside your belly. The side effects can be horrible and thats true but the truth is it's not as easy as just qutting for every woman.
I bet if you were to walk up and say something to her she would tell you to take your opinion and stick it up your a$$.

Answer 3

NO SHE SHOULD NOT SMOKE. HOWEVER It is NOT YOUR choice. I would feel just fine if and when I see a pregnant women smoking. It is harmful and pregnant women do know that. Some can't stop some don't care. In fact I've heard a OB doctor tell a pregnant women if she stoped smoking farther into the pregnancy it COULD cause the baby to go into withdraw they get use to being in that bad environment it's all they ever knew~! Drug addicts have been know to lose a pregnancy after stoping use the baby is use to the DRUG "they may have lost it anyway with or without stoping" no way to know. IT'S HER BABY her BODY it's stupid but, YOU CAN NOT TELL others what to do or push your own point of view. You can know it sucks and she is being selfish but, it's her life. I personally don't agree with it but, That is a choice I made for me.

Answer 4

"Allowed"? What, now we're going to have different rules for pregnant women than we have for other adults? Maybe you'd like to go to her house and make sure she's eating correctly? Or that she's properly washing her hands after going to the bathroom? How about overweight people? Extra pounds can cause problems in pregnancy, too. Should we let them bear children? Should we put them on enforced diets?

Look, you know it's not good to smoke. Period. It's especially not good to smoke while you're pregnant. But smoking is legal, and it's none of your business.

Answer 5

You are correct that it is not great for the unborn baby, however your friend does have a freedom of choice. she may well be under a lot of pressure, so giving up smoking whilst pregnant will be easier saidthan done. The best thing you can do is support your friend, she probably feels rather low , being pregnant means there are a lot of activities that she cannot do. Be thankful she is only using cigarettes. many babies are born as drug addicts, so be thankful for small mercies.

In short
Be her friend
Offer her support
Uou could suggest , that when she wants to smoke, that she has a drink of water instead
Dont load her down with 'Do you know its not good for your baby' stuff

Answer 6

I understand the concern but it IS her body. Consider that many people were born to mothers who smoke before the ill effects were completly understood and they are fine. My mother smoked, back in the late 50's and early 60's when all 3 of her children were born and, although we were all very small, we have turned out just fine. Besides, it is likely just as bad to breath the air considering the pollutants we have spewed into it.

Answer 7

Some of the side effects are increased risk or SIDS, asthma, poor circulation from the placenta to the baby among other things. I personally feel a mother is putting he unborn baby at risk when she smokes as a cigarette has over 100 known carcinogenic chemicals including lighter fluid, anti-freeze, plastic, carbon monoxide just to name a few.

Answer 8

You know i agree with you, like it would make me feel bad for the baby. But honestly it is her baby and her bodie. Drinking while pregnet or doing drugs is VERY VERY bad while pregnet tho. I wouldn't smoke if i was pregnet, but that is just me. The smoke is bad but not too terrible. People look down on it more but it's not going to kill the baby most times unless you have any other problems.

Answer 9

Some doctors (most) will tell a pregnant women not to quit smoking, cause it causes extra stress for a pregnant women, they tell them to cut back and switch to lights....i am 6 months pregnant and i smoke, not like alot...ive had 2 miscarriages before both when i had quit smoking, i was 9 weeks with both of them and my doctor told me i lost them because of stress, so with this one i didnt quit and my baby is healthy and growing fine, so ya'll can be judgemental if you want to, just remember its their body, their child dont tell them how to raise them...they may have things going on in their lives and that smoking help reduces the stress of their everyday life

Answer 10

You can never define the boundaries for another person... People know the consequences of their actions, and that idea of "free will" we treasure so much has been curtailed left and right in past years.

Why don't we just make it illegal for cigarettes to be sold at all, since they harm people on some level every time they're lit up... Soda should stop being sold to children too, since in excess it can cause diabetes... Or, how about we just eliminate sugar period... That should save some heart ache...

People make their own decisions...