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)

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.