Birth defects and problem pregnancies related to smoking

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Birth defects and problem pregnancies related to smoking

You are more likely to give birth to a baby who weighs less than expected (low birth weight) if you smoke. This can lead to many medical problems for your child.

Smoking while pregnant also increases the risk of birth defects, such as cleft lip and cleft palate.¹

Women who smoke also have a higher risk of problems with the placenta, which nourishes the unborn baby and removes its wastes. This can cause problems throughout your pregnancy and with your newborn.

If you quit smoking before you become pregnant (or sometime during the first 3 months of your pregnancy), your risk of having a baby with low birth weight is the same as that of a woman who does not smoke. Women who quit later in their pregnancy still reduce the risk of problems for their babies.

References

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Citations
Fiore MC, et al. (2000). Clinical Practice Guideline: Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Also available online: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/treating_tobacco_use.pdf.

Credits

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Author	Debby Golonka, MPH
Author	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Michele Cronen
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	John Hughes, MD - Psychiatry
Last Updated	July 24, 2007

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Last updated:	July 24, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, John Hughes, MD - Psychiatry
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Michele Cronen

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