Healthy Pregnancy: Avoid Smoking

Smoking increases the chance of a variety of labor and birth problems, such as:

• An 82% increased incidence of having a baby with low birth weight
• A 26% increase in death of the infant either before or soon after birth
• A 250% increased possibility of going into labor prematurely
• An increased chance of your baby developing respiratory problems or ear infections in the first few months of life
• An increased risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as Crib Death)

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Studies show that if you smoke 20 or more cigarettes per day while you’re pregnant, your baby is more likely to be born with a cleft lip or palate. If you think you can’t totally quit smoking while you are pregnant, give your baby a better chance by cutting back to as few cigarettes as possible.