Trying to conceive, but I have one issue....?

Question

I am trying to conceive but I smoke, and I want to quit, but I am just not freaking out over it yet. I know I will stop when I get pregnant, and my friends and husband believe me, but I am wondering if my smoking "now" will hurt my chances of conceiving or the baby if I do conceive. My Mother smoked up until the time she found out she was pregnant with my sister and me, and then started again after she gave birth to each. My Mother told me that everyone smoked then (well almost) and it was NOT a big deal. She does NOT think you should smoke when you are pregnant, but thinks I'm worried for nothing. She told me she would like to see me stop for a list of reasons, and I will stop when I get pregnant, but I would just like to hear others thoughts. (BTW, I hope to hear suggestions, facts, and/or experiences NOT insults). :)

Answer 1

Well...research say's that smoking can affect your ability to get pregnant.Doesn't keep you from, but can make it more difficult.We all agree that smoking is bad,I'm quitting myself since I just found out I'm preg, so no lectures from me.I'm 39 so I come from that generation where Mom's to be smoked and drank caffiene and did a lot of things that weren't all together healthy and well..I'm here.I wish we had known all this years ago when I started smoking ,I probably never would have picked up that pack,but you can't go back and change things only do things to improve the future.Good Luck and ton's of babydust.

Answer 2

I am not real sure but I know an understand about the smoking issue. I from experence can say I had three beautiful children and when I was pregant I smoked before and during, Even once with my youngest the doctor was saying that he wished the other woman gain as little as I did and when asked how i was doing it I really was not sure but I did admit to smoking two and a half packs a day then he suggest I did not tell the other woman how I was not gaining . All three of my children were healthy first one weighted six lbs. one ounce. Second was five lbs six ounces and my last was six labs nine ounces. But I am only five feet tall and very small myself. I only gained six lbs thru all my pregancy not a good idea. On the other hand both my daughters smoked up till they found out and only one quit and my oldest cut back and they had seven lbs. So hope you figure it all out and do what you feel is best for you. Good luck

Answer 3

I have read that smoking decreases your chance of conceiving by up to 50%, and increases your chances of birth defects if you do conceive similarly. Something about the smoke decreasing the blood flow to the uterus (and everything else, really, but it's the uterus that causes problems when TTC).

I smoked up until I became pregnant with my son, then stopped cold turkey [everytime I lit up I saw those two pink lines and just threw it out]. He's fine, but to be completely honest, I was just lucky. It's possible you will be lucky, too, but I would suggest not taking the chance.

Good luck!

Answer 4

A girl I used to work with smoked through her pregnancy because she couldn't stop smoking entirely. Her baby has some health problems. I'm not going to say it's because of the smoking. It's so hard to tell. Look how pregant women 30-40 years ago acted compared to the list of rules and regulations we have now. I tell my mom what my dr tells me (I'm at 22 weeks) and she just laughs. For health purposes for YOU and the fact that smoking shortens your life, you might want to quit before. When you do have that baby, you want to be around a long time for him/her. I would say only give up smoking for yourself before you get pregnant (or when you get pregnant, but it might not be that easy after you're already pregnant). As far as trying to conceive, I don't think it matters much. Try the charting method of conceiving...see link below. I did it for one month, temperature and checking mucus and I got preg right away.

Answer 5

I believe that smoking CAN affect your chances of getting pregnant. It has to do with the amount of blood flow, etc. Secondly, the cigerettes that people smoke today are much more potent than those smoked a few decades ago. I would suggest that you try and stop now (before you conceive)... if you can't totaly quit - at least minimize. I wish you luck!

Read the articles below: Smoking increases your rate of having a miscarriage and other serious problems during and after pregnancy!

Answer 6

Smoking adds toxins to your bloodstream and it also deprives your blood of oxygen.

This might not stop you from getting pregnant, but it does have a serious effect on the fetus. Babies of smoking mothers are often born with lower birth weight, and other pervasive problems that they develop in the womb.

You can smoke or not, it's your choice, but obviously having a healthier lifestyle will be a better outcome for your baby AND for yourself. Some people get fixated on one thing, like smoking, and forget that health is based on all kinds of things like good nutrition, exercise, lack of stress, etc.

So I would suggest that you take care of yourself the best you can in all areas, and if you can't quit smoking then at least cut down to whatever degree you can.

Answer 7

im sorry but its an extremely ignorant way of thinking to say "well, other people did it and they are ok so whats the big deal?" . we know thats not always true, and we KNOW smoking is bad for you and bad for your unborn baby. You would not ever take any chances with your child's health after they are here, so why is it ok now? My mother smoked when pg with me (back when it was "NOT a big deal" as you say), and i was born at 5 lbs, with an immunodeficiency. I to this day still get sick more than the average person. My brother was also low birth weight.
at the very least dont you want to be around for your children? the sooner YOU quit the less likely YOU are to have cancer and other smoking related conditions later in life. Apparently your mom is lucky enough to so far have good health, but i have had plenty of older family members suffer from years of smoking, emphysema, lung cancer, death, etc. I bet if you've seen it firsthand you'd be a heck of a lot likely to do it, b/c theres nothing like being unable to breathe, let me tell ya.

Answer 8

I would suggest trying to quit now. I don't think it'll hurt your chances of getting pregnant, but it could be harder to do than you think. I've been a smoker for 20 years, and it's probably harder for me than you, but is hard just the same. If you quit now you wont have the added stress of trying to quit when your pregnant, and please don't go back once you do quit, the longer you do it the harder it is to stop. Good luck with the smoking and the baby!

Answer 9

They say it is tougher to get preg if you smoke. Why? I dont know...Im in the same boat as you. I am trying to conceive and also smoke, but have been having trouble. There are many women who smoke and get pregnant (my mom was also one)...Smoking is so bad for us....We should really try to quit now, maybe up our chances of conceiving, and be healthier for us and our future children. Good luck...

Answer 10

This may sound like a daft question but here goes.............. If you're trying to get pregnant, and you will quit smoking when you conceive, you're worried that smoking will harm your chances of conception.......... why don't you just quit now then you'll have nothing to worry about?
Just a thought, ya know?