How harmful is it for a baby if the mother smokes?
Pregnant women put their child and themselves into a great deal of risk if they smoke during pregnancy. Smoking has found to directly affect the growth of the foetos. The more the mother smokes, the lower the weight of the infant would be. Smoking by mothers can also lead to: miscarriage, stillborn babies, premature birth, low birth-weight babies and babies who die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The babies will either be of lower weight or need intensive care or die in infancy. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is more common among the mothers who smoke. Smoking also decreases the quantity of breast milk, can change its quality and may lead to early weaning. These mothers also increase the risks to their own health: abnormalities of the placenta and bleeding during pregnancy.
