Smoking and Pregnancy

There are some activities a pregnant woman should avoid altogether, and smoking cigarettes is one of them. No question about it: Smoking when you're pregnant is a very bad choice.

First Trimester

For some women, quitting will never be easier than in early pregnancy, when they develop a sudden distaste for cigarettes. If you stop smoking now, you can decrease your chances of miscarrying, and it may also lessen the likelihood that your baby's development will be affected.

It is best to stop smoking before you become pregnant, but stopping now is a very smart choice and if you do, your odds of having a healthy baby are good.

Second Trimester

If you stop smoking now, you can decrease your chances of developing such complications as placenta previa, pre-term labor and even stillbirth. If you tried to stop smoking in your first trimester but didn't succeed, at least -- for the sake of your baby -- reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. Every cigarette you don't smoke is going to help your baby.

Third Trimester

It is not too late to quit smoking. If you stop now, you can still improve your chances of delivering a full-term, normal-birth-weight baby. Decreased birth weight is directly related to the number of cigarettes you smoke because there is a direct relationship between smoking and impaired fetal growth. By quitting now, you can also better your odds of not losing your baby to SIDS. Sooner is better, but quitting at any time during pregnancy can only help your baby.