Smoking and pregnancy

Stopping smoking

There's lots of help available to support you to stop smoking - and to stay stopped. Other members of your family may want to join you, and there's help available for them too.

Your chance of quitting is 3 times higher with the help of a friendly and approachable stop smoking midwife. She can help you to understand smoking and work with you to develop a quit plan. She can also address any specific issues you have regarding smoking and your pregnancy.

Get other help to stop smoking from:

• our local advisers at Smoke Free Highland
• the Quit Your Way Scotland team

How smoking harms your baby

Babies receive all the oxygen, nutrients and antibodies they need from their Mum's blood supply. When a Mum smokes (or breathes in other people's smoke) she inhales carbon monoxide (CO) and the other damaging chemicals that are in cigarettes. This affects baby and restricts the amount of oxygen the baby gets.

Every time a pregnant Mum smokes it affects her baby's growth and development and causes her baby's heart to beat harder.

Continuing to smoke during pregnancy increases the risks of:

• miscarriage
• stillbirth
• low birthweight
• premature birth
• Sudden Unexplained Death in Infancy (SUDI)
• baby having a cleft lip and palate
• your child having learning or behavioural problems

Stopping smoking will help you and your baby immediately. When you stop smoking, it only takes 24 hours for the poisonous gas carbon monoxide to clear from your bloodstream. Your baby will quickly start getting more oxygen through the placenta and you will instantly start to reduce the risks of complications in your pregnancy and during baby's birth.

Second hand smoke

Second hand smoke can affect you and your baby before and after their birth. More than 80% of second hand smoke is invisible and doesn't smell.

Exposure to second hand smoke can increase the risk of:

• premature birth
• low birth weight
• Sudden Unexplained Death in Infancy (SUDI)

Babies whose parents smoke are also more likely to be admitted to hospital during the first year of life, as they are more likely to develop infections that can affect their breathing, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

If you smoke, you will find it harder to quit if someone living with you also smokes.

It doesn't matter how careful others think they are about keeping smoke away from you. If someone smokes in your home, you and your baby still breathe in the harmful poisons. Opening windows and doors or smoking in another room will not make it completely safe.

For more information on second hand smoke and making your home smoke-free, visit Smoke Free Highland - Homes and Cars.

E-cigarettes

Current research about e-cigarette use in pregnancy shows that they are significantly less harmful to health than cigarettes. If using an e-cigarette (vaping) helps you stay smoke free, this is far safer for you and your baby than continuing to smoke.

E-cigarettes are regulated in the UK but they are not currently licensed as a stop smoking aid. If you choose to use e-cigarettes to help you quit smoking tobacco it is important to ensure you buy one from a reputable retailer to minimise the risk of harm.

You can discuss the risks and benefits of e-cigarettes with the stop smoking midwife. She can also discuss the option of using nicotine replacement therapy, which is licensed, and can be prescribed to support you with your quit attempt.

Nicotine replacement therapy

Many Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products are licensed to use in pregnancy.

The risks of using NRT to help you stop smoking are far less than the risks for your unborn baby if you continue to smoke.

If required, the stop smoking midwife can arrange for you to have NRT during your pregnancy. This can be in the form of patches, gum, lozenges or an inhalator. You can also access NRT as part of the NHS Highland Pharmacy Scheme. Speak to your local pharmacy if you are interested in this.

Staying stopped after baby's birth

Once your baby is here you may feel as though your reason for giving up smoking is over - but it isn't! It's still very important that you stay stopped after pregnancy. Think of what you have achieved by stopping smoking during your pregnancy - you should feel so proud!

Remaining smoke-free will result in lots of health benefits for you and your baby. Think of the money you can save to spend on your baby, or on a treat for yourself.

Research shows that children of smoking parents are more likely to try smoking and become regular smokers. If you don't want your children to smoke it's best to set a smoke-free example.