Smoking Before Pregnancy Risks: Specialists emphasize that there is no safe period for smoking either before or during pregnancy.
Researchers in a new study have warned that even “light smoking,” one or two cigarettes a day, before pregnancy also creates “major health problems for newborns.” This study was published on Tuesday in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
Although smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, impaired fetal growth, and other complications, five percent of pregnant women in the United States continue to smoke.
Smoking Before Pregnancy Risks, China scientists investigated whether the timing and amount of smoking affect newborns. They analyzed 12.1 million births in the United States from 2016 to 2019. The participating mothers reported their smoking habits three months before pregnancy and during each trimester.
According to the researchers’ findings, women who smoked were generally younger, white, unmarried, had lower levels of education, had more children, and paid less attention to prenatal care. If a mother smoked only before pregnancy, the risk of health problems in the newborn increased by 27%, and if she continued to smoke during pregnancy, this risk rose by 31% to 32%.
Smoking Before Pregnancy Risks
According to the New York Post, the newborns of these mothers faced respiratory problems, needed oxygen machines, were admitted to the intensive care unit, and suffered from seizures and serious neurological issues.
Smoking Before Pregnancy Risks, Smoking one or two cigarettes a day before pregnancy increased the risk of problems by 16%, and if a mother smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day during pregnancy, this risk increased by 31%.
The authors of this article state that the results showed no difference between those who smoked up to three months before pregnancy and those who smoked during pregnancy. Thus, specialists emphasize that there is no safe period for smoking either before or during pregnancy. Therefore, before trying to conceive, one should use nicotine patches and undergo treatment.
Smoking Before Pregnancy Risks, This study is significant because it highlights the harmful effects of smoking, even in small amounts, both before and during pregnancy, and considers quitting smoking before pregnancy the safest approach.
Also Read:
The 5 Important Tips To Do Instead Of Smoking
The Risk Of Cannabis In Cancer: An Analytical Overview
The American Heart Association: Work Stress And Its Link To Increased Risk Of Heart Disease
Cannabis And Cancer Risk: The Relationship Between Cannabis Use And Cancer Risk
