Women smoking while pregnant? ?

Question

I would like to know what birth defects can come for a child if the mother was a smoker during pregnancy. I know it can cause low birth weight but thats all I know. I'm not a woman and I'm not pregnant, I would just like to know.

Answer 1

low birth weight is all that has been discovered.

I smoked with my last child and she weighed 9 lbs and was on the honor roll the whole time she was in school - graduated at 16 - graduated from college at 20

Answer 2

Smoking has been associated with a number of pregnancy complications. One is an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. In an ectopic pregnancy, the embryo becomes implanted in a fallopian tube or other abnormal site instead of the uterus. With the rarest of exceptions, these pregnancies do not result in the birth of a baby, and must be removed surgically or with drug treatment to protect a woman's life.

Cigarette smoking also appears to double a woman's risk of developing placental complications (which occur in about 1 percent of pregnancies). These include placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta is attached too low in the uterus and covers part or all of the cervix; and placental abruption, in which the placenta separates from the uterine wall before delivery. Both can result in a delivery that jeopardizes the life of mother and baby.

Smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, and severe vaginal bleeding.

Answer 3

I smoked during all 3 of mine, and all 3 of my children came out big and healthy. My Dr. told me not to quit, but cut back. Quitting could put stress on me, and harm the baby. So I smoked between 5-7 a day.

So his suggestion benefited my children.  

Answer 4

A woman smoking/doing drugs/drinking alcohol during pregnancy is the one of the most selfish things she can do.  Just to please herself, she is hurting her unborn child.

It can cause miscarriages, birth defects (mental and physical).  Low birth weight, etc.

EDIT:  What's up with the thumbs down?

Answer 5

Low birth weight is all that's proven and even that is only an increased risk, not a certainty, and that's at high levels of smoking.

Tons of women smoked before they started to demonize smoking, and the babies were fine.

And no, it's not the most selfish thing a pregnant woman can do, abortion is.

Answer 6

It can cause miscarriages, still births, breathing problems, and a number of other defects.  You never know what you'll wind up with if you smoke.

Answer 7

i don't want to give you facts because i dont' know them myself but may i suggest googling "smoking during pregnancy" and also throw in "risks" and "effects" I found a lot of websites with information by doing so for you, i'd try to stick with sites that provide medical information because it's guaranteed to give you information you are looking for.  good luck.