Frequently Asked Questions
How does smoking affect unborn babies?
Being pregnant is the ideal time to go smokefree.
If you smoke during your pregnancy, or if people smoke near you, you will breathe in thousands of toxic chemicals. These chemicals cut down the amount of oxygen reaching your baby and can cause:
- Increased chance of miscarriage or stillbirth.
- Lower birth weight and under development.
- Higher risk of cot death.
- Damage to airways which could cause breathing problems or asthma.
For more information contact the NHS Smoking Pregnancy Helpline on 0800 169 9 169
Other questions that may be useful…
- Can I use NRT while I'm pregnant?
- Is it too late to stop? Isn't the damage already done?
- My partner smokes - will this affect my unborn child?
- What are the dangers of smoking during pregnancy?
- What specialist support is available for pregnant smokers?
If possible find out if anyone else such as friends, relatives or work colleagues want to quit as you could suggest quitting together. This provides you with support and the other person knows what you’re going through.
