Women often quit smoking during pregnancy “for the baby”. However, by quitting smoking they also lower their risk of chronic heart and lung diseases, cancer, painful and irregular menstruation, infertility, early menopause, miscarriage, pregnancy complications, and premature delivery.

Quitting smoking before the first prenatal visit can lower the risk of complications during pregnancy to the same levels as non-smokers. Although quitting early in pregnancy has the greatest benefits, stopping later in pregnancy can also have benefits for women, the fetus and infant.

• Lower the chances of premature births, still births, spontaneous abortions, low birth weight babies, newborn infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
• Reduce the risk of passing on the chemicals in cigarettes to the baby during breastfeeding.
• Decrease the risk of learning difficulties for the child.

• A stressful social environment. Smoking is sometimes secondary to issues such as poverty, domestic violence, and being a single mother.
• Lack of support from family members, peers, co-workers, and health care providers.
• Issues with their partners: Negative interaction with their partners can affect the capacity to quit. Also, having a partner who smokes may make it more difficult to quit.
• Postpartum depression and the stress of caring for a new baby can sometimes provoke a relapse. However, women who quit smoking while pregnant are less likely to relapse during the postpartum period if they realize the health benefits of quitting smoking for both themselves and their babies.
  

As such it is important not to focus solely on smoking cessation, but to assist women in improving their health and reducing stress overall.

Check out the RESOURCES FOR WOMEN section of this website for tools and hands-on help for quitting.

PLUS, nutrition, exercise, vitamin-use, and reducing stress can also improve the ability to quit smoking.