What will 2-4 cigarettes a day do to my unborn child?

Question

I'm 8 months pregnant and I have been smoking 2 - 4 cigarettes a day my whole pregnancy. Will my baby be as effected as it would if I smoked 2 packs a day throughout my whole pregnancy?

Answer 1

you would think that you would want to give your child the best start possible,I can not stand women who smoke while pregnant, you are being selfish

Answer 2

I think the question here should have been asked 8 months ago and it should have been What good will smoking any amount of cigarettes during pregnancy do for you or your unborn child? Any amount of 1st or 2nd hand smoke is bad for your unborn childs tiny lungs. Perhaps you will get lucky and your baby will be born healthy despite the fact that you could not put aside your habit even temporairly while carrying the tiny miracle whose only avenue for good nutrition comes from what you are or are not putting into your body during this time. Research on this subject is still inconclusive, but the only responsible choice is not to take the chance. Why would you put your baby at risk of becoming the statistic that provides conclusive evidence to the research in this area. If smoking 2 packs a day is bad so is smoking 2-4 cigarettes. Never never take chances whose outcome could even possibly be something you cannot live with or fathom. A baby's life is too much to gamble with so don't. Since you are on the verge of the end of your journey the best you can do is stop now and give your baby's lungs a break and a chance to develop uninhibited by obstacles during your last month which is when his or her lungs will grow the most. I hope all is well and best of luck with your baby.

Answer 3

All i can tell you is what my OB said to me during my pregnancies " Yes, smoking is bad for everyone but in order for it to have a adverse effect on an unborn child, the mother must be smoking well over a pack or two a day." The smoke from cigarettes crosses over the placenta and yes, some of it is absorbed but it doesn't really get into their blood stream as much as yours. Your only smoking 2 - 4 a day and that is damn good and you should be proud that you were able to cut down that much. When i became pregnant i was smoking a pack a day, sometimes more and i managed to cut down to half a pack or less. I have had 3 children and smoked during each pregnancy and all my children were born healthy and they apgar scores were great. Needless to say, that anything can happen during pregnancy but try not to worry yourself too much, stress is just as bad, if not worse to an unborn child. Good Luck and congrats on your baby!!

Answer 4

Well I'm sure you know that its bad for you & your baby- and as a smoker, i understand how hard it is to quit. It is the last month and try to cut it down for these next few weeks or at least have 1 only every 2-3 days. ALso when you bring the baby home - try to refrain from smoking in the house - it will cause the same damage as if it was still in your womb. Going outside might even give you the will to quit for good. Good luck

Answer 5

No matter what your intake in a day is any kind of smoking is extrememy hazardous to your baby even allowing people to smoke around you is very dangerious. Smoking is not worth the risks you are taking for the best interest of the baby you need to completely stop. You will be thankful later when you do. My sister-in-law smoked a little bit like a pack every week and a half and she had ALOT of problems during pregnancy and her baby was born over a month early and had to be in NICU for 2 1/2 wks. And went home with monitors. You shouldn't put yourself thru this. Quitting will save you a lot of health problems with the both of you now or later on. I wish u the best on smoking.

Answer 6

I dont know but i was just in for my first prenatal today and im a smoker, im 11 weeks pregnant and i asked my dr on smoking because i have cut back to about 5 a day. He told me that the biggest risk (the baby looked healthy and strong heartbeat) was a chance on having a miscarrige before the first 12 weeks and a chance of having a baby with lower birth weight. He told me he has delivered many babies to mothers who smoked throughout their entire pregnancy and he told me that there is greater stress on the body and the baby if i was to just quit smoking. He said as long as i cut back to 4-5 a day he thinks things will be just fine. He's been an OB/GYN for 30+ years and said hes never delivered a baby to a smoking mother who had health problems, only lower birth weight. So i say as long as you cut back as much as you can, things will be just fine :) Goodluck on your baby!!

Answer 7

I am a smoking pregnant woman as well. I smoke 2 cigarettes a day. my mid wife even told me that just quiting cold turkwy would hurt the baby more than smoking two. obviously she would rather me quit but she told me that inhaling regular everyday traffic fumes were worse than my two cigarettes, so no I think you and your baby will be just fine. don't beat yourself up about it because being stressed out too much can also cause the baby harm.

Answer 8

I smoked during my pregnancy and my boy is fine. Everyone's child develops differently. Your child may be fine and then may have some problems. He/she may have had those problems even if you had quit. Also, if you quit cold turkey doesn't that shock the childs body like going through "DT's?" I think slowly stopping is better and try to stop when the child is born. NEVER smoke around a baby !!! I only smoke outside.

Answer 9

A little late to be worrying about that now...why do that to yourself?
Speaking as an ex smoker...if you're only smoking 2-4 a day why not just quit? 2-4 a day isn't enough to fulfill the cravings, but IS enough to do the damage that cigs do. So you're not accomplishing anything--still polluting your lungs and blood stream, but not fulfilling cravings.
By the way I had just quit 3 weeks before I found out I was pg...but for me there was no better incentive than thinking about my poor little baby gasping for air and spitting up brown mucus. I know this wouldn't really happen, but it helped me stay a non-smoker.

Answer 10

Smoking during pregnancy will expose your baby to nicotine, carbon monoxide, and other harmful toxins that can stunt his growth — including brain growth. An expecting mom with a pack-a-day habit will reduce her baby's birth weight by about half a pound, on average. (Remember, "average" means that some babies are far more affected than others.) This is significant because low birth weight is one of the main factors linked to newborn illness, disability, and death.

Answer 11

It's a little late to be worrying what effects it might have. I smoked 1 a day till I was about 5 months and felt horrible about it. I quit cold turkey and wish I could have done it sooner. You should quit now even thoguh you are almost there. Good luck...I hope everything works out for you.