| Even though the overall percentage of smokers is | | | | When children are exposed to prenatal smoke, they |
| declining, the slowest rate of decline is among women | | | | will often develop many behavioral problems as they |
| of childbearing age. Fourteen million women in the ages | | | | grow older. Some of these problems include anxiety, |
| of 18 to 44 smoke. This is very dangerous for babies | | | | disobedience, conduct disorders and conflict with |
| and must be stopped! | | | | others. |
| If you smoke during pregnancy it is very likely that your | | | | Not only will your child have problems later in life if the |
| child will be extremely hyperactive and have ADHD. | | | | mother smokes, but there is also a higher risk of |
| Cigarette smoke contains many poisonous | | | | pregnancy complications. Women who smoke during |
| substances, but studies have shown that this | | | | pregnancy are much more likely to have a premature |
| hyperactivity is caused by carbon monoxide building up | | | | birth, low birth weight babies and stillbirths. There is also |
| in the baby's blood stream. This reduces the oxygen | | | | a higher rate of infant mortality. After the baby is born, |
| that reaches the baby and causes many problems in | | | | the baby is at risk for sudden infant death syndrome |
| development. | | | | (SIDS), asthma, respiratory infections and poor lung |
| Studies have also shown that children whose mothers | | | | development. |
| smoked during pregnancy are much slower in reading | | | | Medical costs for births are much higher for smokers |
| abilities, math abilities, speech and language abilities, | | | | because the births are a lot more complicated. In 1987, |
| intelligence levels and are not as physically developed | | | | the birth costs of non smokers was $6,544 and the |
| as normal children. These children scored much lower | | | | birth costs of smokers was $10,894. This is almost |
| on tests than other kids. | | | | twice as much for smokers! |
| When mothers smoke during pregnancy, their children | | | | Many women are now realizing how dangerous it is to |
| will probably have difficulty listening and following | | | | smoke while pregnant. In 1987, nineteen percent of |
| directions. This makes it very hard to do well in school. | | | | women smoked during their pregnancies and in 1995 |
| The more you smoke during pregnancy, the harder it is | | | | only fourteen percent of women smoked during their |
| for children to pay attention. | | | | pregnancies. This is a decrease of five percent. This |
| Another dangerous aspect of prenatal smoking is that | | | | number still needs to go down more though. |
| the nicotine in cigarettes damages brain cells. The | | | | As you can see, smoking while pregnant has many |
| thickness of the cerebral cortex is significantly reduced, | | | | bad side affects for your baby, such as pregnancy |
| the cerebral cortex neurons are smaller and the brain | | | | complications, asthma, hyperactivity, lower IQ, attention |
| itself weighs less in infants whose mothers smoked. | | | | deficits, learning disabilities and many other problems. If |
| The connections between brain cells are also | | | | you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, you should |
| decreased, which makes it much more difficult for the | | | | not smoke at all. As soon as you quit smoking, you will |
| brain to relay information to other parts of the body. | | | | be improving the health of your baby. |