Health Tip: If You Smoke While Pregnant

You and baby are more likely to have problems

September 10, 2009 RSS Feed Print

(HealthDay News) -- If you smoke while pregnant, you're exposing the baby to a host of dangerous chemicals, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says. And the nicotine in tobacco causes less oxygen and nutrients to reach the baby.

The ACOG says these problems are more likely to affect pregnant women who smoke:

Ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilized egg begins to develop outside the uterus.
Vaginal bleeding.
Abnormalities in how the placenta attaches to the uterus.
A stillbirth.
A low-birthweight infant, born weighing less than 5.5 pounds.