how does smoking affects the baby?

Question

and more...i need a website for information about this

Answer 1

If pregnant:

"We have firm evidence that the use of tobacco products by adults (environmental tobacco smoke) increases childhood mortality and morbidity; otitis media, tympanostomy, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, asthma, coughs, lower respiratory tract illness, hospitalisations, and deaths. The studies linking second hand smoke to pregnancy problems show mixed results.

A study, released at a 1996 meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, says the compounds associated with second hand smoke can cause genetic damage and may be a prelude to childhood leukemia and other cancers.

The study suggests that cancer-causing chemicals in cigarette smoke pass from mother to unborn baby, whether the mother smokes or not.

Pregnant women exposed to the secondhand smoke of co-workers or family members pass some of the blood-borne chemicals to their unborn babies, though babies of smokers have much higher levels of the chemicals.

Researchers at the University of Louisville studied 410 pregnant women, measuring levels of three tobacco carcinogens in the mothers and their newborns -- benzo(a)pyrene, which causes lung and skin cancer; 4-aminobiphenyl, which causes bladder cancer; and acrylonitrile, which causes liver cancer.

All three substances attach themselves to hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying protein in red blood cells. The carcinogens continue to circulate through the babies' blood for the life of the red cells, about four months.

The study found that levels of the three chemicals were four to five times higher in the passive smokers' babies than in the non-smokers' infants and they were 10 to 20 times higher in the cigarette smokers' babies. "

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If baby has already been born:

"Only 15 percent of cigarette smoke is inhaled by the smoker, while the remaining 85 percent -- known as second hand smoke -- goes directly into the air. Second hand smoke has been found to contain more than 4,000 chemicals, at least 40 of which are carcinogenic. There is no safe level of exposure. All-day exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke is comparable to smoking two to three cigarettes per day.

Between 50,000 and 300,000 lower-respiratory-tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age each year -- resulting in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations -- are blamed on exposure to second hand smoke. Exposure can cause reduced lung function, symptoms of respiratory-tract irritation (cough, excess phlegm and wheezing), fluid buildup in the ear, lower-respiratory-tract infections (including bronchitis and pneumonia), episodes of asthma and/or increased severity of asthmatic symptoms.

. . . Second hand smoke may also affect your breastmilk. Nicotine has been found in the milk of exposed non-smokers (Trundle and Skellern 1983). Nicotine enters readily into mothers' milk and has a half-life of close to two hours. That means it takes about two hours for 50 percent of it to clear your system."

Answer 2

well. once a women starts to smoke with the baby, its worse than secondhand smoking. The smoke carries through your body once in haled and in will land in the baby's lungs. This could cause chronic bronchidas, influensa, black lung syndrome, and many more bretahing problems when the baby is born, that will follow them throughout the rest of thier life. I really hope this information helps =]] good luck with everything. =]]

Answer 3

Don't smoke while you are pregnant, that is just stupid smoking causes all kinds of problems, especially when your pregnant. Let the your baby grow inside of you in a healthy and safe way. Give the life and love that your baby deserves without having a packet of yucky cigarettes there by your side.

Answer 4

It affects the baby, just as bad as it affects you. The baby is living off your body, so you better take care of it. Heres a website I hope helps.

Answer 5

The various toxins - particularly nicotine - enter the baby's bloodstream because they are able to cross the placental barrier. This causes constriction of the blood vessels, which in turn means fewer nutrients are able to get to developing tissue. Fewer nutrients means a less-developed baby; smoking mothers often deliver low birth-weight babies.

Answer 6

In my opinion, if you smoke you are not being a good mother. Plain and simple. My mom smoked with me and I was always sick. Wasn't until I got out of the house and went to college that things finally started to settle down. Sad thing is my mom will probably not be around to see her grandchildren grow up because she could not put down the stupid cigarettes. In my opinion, it is her biggest down fall as a mother. The biggest let down to me, her child, and the biggest let down to her grandchildren. I love my mom, but I believe if she truly loved me she would not smoke.

Answer 7

affects birth weight, immune system, and more chance of having asthma.

My reference? I have 6 kids and I don't smoke. I've talked to several doctors about it.

My wife's sister has 3 and she does smoke and those are the sickest kids I've ever seen.

They are always sick.

Answer 8

my neice has been affected by her mother smoking. She has ashtma and she is very small for her age. I sugguest you do not smoke ifyou have your baby in your belly. Or is the baby around the 2nd hand smoke?

Answer 9

smoking is very harmful to babies... it can cause low birth weight, premature birth, breathing problems and a lot more. Check this website as this will explain further:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t105800.asp

Answer 10

It cuts off the oxygen supply. Watch the veins in your wrist as you take a drag, and you will see them constrict. That's what's happening in the arteries connecting to your baby.