Smoking during pregnancy can harm the health of unborn baby

Smoking is a major public health problem. All smokers face an increased risk of lung cancer, other lung diseases, cardiovascular and other disorders.

Smoking during pregnancy can harm the health of both a woman and her unborn baby. For example, babies of mothers who smoke during pregnancy appear to be more nervous and difficult to calm them than babies of nonsmokers.

Babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are up to three times as likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as babies of nonsmokers.

In North Kirklees, has found high levels of smoking in pregnant women. A 2005 study showed that the rate of babies in North Kirklees dying before their first birthday was almost double the national average.

Health researchers investigated 106 infant deaths in North Kirklees for to identify factors that might contribute to the increasingly rate of deaths among babies. It found that 31 percent of pregnant women in Batley were smoking when their baby was born, compared to 18 percent nationally. They found that congenital abnormalities and prematurity were the cause of more than two thirds of deaths in the area and that over half were of low birth weight.

Dr Judith Hooper, director of public health for Kirklees, said: "I, personally, am shocked at the high numbers of women who smoked right through their pregnancy, leading to low birth-weight babies."

Deborah Collis, assistant director or public health, said: "The focus would now be on raising awareness of the issues, especially in Dewsbury and Batley where infant death rates were highest. Maternal behaviours needed to be addressed particularly smoking and malnutrition."

The researchers from Kirklees showed that more a pregnant woman smokes, the greater the risk to her baby. However, if a woman stops smoking even by the end of her second trimester of pregnancy, she is no more likely to have a low-birth weight baby than a woman who never smoked.

Smoking harms not only babies’ health but also mother’s health. Smokers have an increased risk of lung and other cancers, heart disease, stroke and emphysema (a potentially disabling and, sometimes, deadly lung condition).

Quitting smoking makes parents healthier and better role models for their children.