Smoking, or tobacco use, harms virtually every organ in the human body and negatively affects health throughout life. It is one of the most important factors in the development of many cancers, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and many other illnesses and health problems. In Slovenia, tobacco is the most important preventable cause of death among risk factors. Every year, almost 3,600 people in Slovenia die from diseases caused by smoking—almost 10 every day—and a quarter of them die before the age of 60.
ARE YOU PREGNANT, BREASTFEEDING, OR PLANNING A BABY? Now is the right time to QUIT SMOKING and LIVE IN SMOKE-FREE SPACES! Source: NIJZ leaflet. Click.
- If you smoke during pregnancy, your baby smokes too—through you.
- If you breastfeed and smoke, your baby also receives harmful tobacco substances through your milk.
- If you are exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy, your baby is exposed too.
- If you smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke and are planning a pregnancy, you may have trouble conceiving.
No amount of cigarettes smoked is safe. Smoking during pregnancy is like exhaling tobacco smoke directly into your baby’s face. A baby’s exposure to harmful substances can last up to 15 minutes with each cigarette.
Despite any stress that may come with quitting, research shows that quitting smoking at any stage of pregnancy has positive effects on the health of the pregnant woman and the baby. So quitting even late in pregnancy brings health benefits.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING FOR YOUR BABY
- more nutrients and oxygen available for the baby during pregnancy;
- lower chance that the baby will have a low birth weight due to lack of nutrients and oxygen;
- lower risk of health problems for the baby during pregnancy, e.g., preterm birth, stillbirth, congenital abnormalities, poorer psychophysical development;
- a higher chance that you and your baby will leave the maternity hospital together;
- a reduced risk of sudden infant death (so-called cot death);
- if you don’t smoke while breastfeeding, nicotine won’t pass to the baby;
- later in the child’s life, the risk of health problems such as asthma, more frequent respiratory and middle-ear infections, and poorer psychophysical development is also reduced.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING FOR YOU:
- your body will clear carbon monoxide and chemical compounds found in tobacco smoke;
- you’ll have more energy;
- you’ll have fewer problems with morning sickness;
- there will be more oxygen available in your blood, which supports better health;
- the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy is reduced;
- you’re more likely to have a positive birth experience;
- the likelihood of complications during birth will be lower;
- you’ll be a good role model for your child, making it less likely they’ll reach for cigarettes later and become a smoker;
- later in your life, your risk of developing a smoking-related disease will also be reduced.
ACTIVE SMOKING
It is also harmful to you and your baby if you are exposed to secondhand smoke. This is tobacco smoke in an enclosed space, a combination of smoke inhaled from a lit cigarette and the smoke exhaled by the smoker into the room you are in.
SECONDHAND SMOKING
NIJZ states that it’s important to ensure the body has enough vitamin C. It is considered that we get the most of it from fresh, properly stored, locally grown vegetables and fruit (peppers, lettuce, kiwi, citrus, …). Higher needs are mainly seen in people who smoke, pregnant women, and those who do very intensive sports. Adults need at least 100 mg of vitamin C per day; pregnant women need a bit more—110 mg per day. A special group are people who smoke; they need 150 mg of vitamin C per day. A STUDY also reports that pregnant smokers who supplemented with vitamin C had healthier babies than those pregnant smokers who did not. This does not mean I support smoking. Quite the opposite.
There are several ways to quit smoking, and it’s important to find the one that suits you. You can choose from the support available:
- individual or group support for quitting smoking (a list of institutions where you can seek help is on page 30);
- a counselling helpline for quitting smoking (tel.: 080 27 77)
- a consultation with your chosen doctor, gynaecologist, dentist, or another healthcare professional.
Read more here.
A study also discusses the harmful effects of smoking on the fetus during pregnancy. It links smoking to schizophrenia later in the child. Another additional reason to make sure pregnant women quit smoking—ideally even before planning a pregnancy. If this isn’t the best time to quit smoking, then when is?
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