Many smoking women fail to quit even when pregnant. Figures published in the journal of the French Pediatric Society show a reality that is sometimes underestimated.
It is well known, tobacco is a drug in its own right and it is very difficult to get rid of it. For women, announcing a pregnancy is sometimes enough to stop it, but it is far from being general. The anxiety and stress sometimes caused by an unplanned pregnancy, medical complications or simply the inability to quit are all factors that cause some women to continue smoking even after pregnancy. Some figures were published in the Archives of Pediatrics, the journal of the French Society of Pediatrics, May 4, 2020. Against all expectations, 43.3% of women continued to smoke during their pregnancy, about 8.9 cigarettes per day . 89.6% of them reduced their consumption to 4 cigarettes a day and 68.8% used nicotine substitutes.
Serious consequences for the mother and the fetus
You are not taught anything, smoking during pregnancy can have serious consequences for the fetus but also for the unborn child. In utero, growth retardation can be seen on the fetus and at birth, babies born to smoking mothers weigh on average 200 grams less than the others. Later, there is a significant increase in the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (multiplied by 3), when the mother smoked during pregnancy. Figures from the Pediatric Archives also point out that 25.6% of newborns exposed to smoking suffer from colic, compared with 12.3% among others.
For the mother, the risks involved are also numerous: ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, vaginal bleeding, premature and painful delivery, reduced breast milk production, etc.