The Dangers of Smoking While Pregnant essays

The Dangers of Smoking While Pregnant essays The Dangers of Smoking While Pregnant There is no clear evidence that smoking prior to pregnancy will harm a developing fetus, but it is well documented that smoking during pregnancy is very harmful. It affects the babys development in utero. Babies of smoking mothers are not as healthy at birth as babies of nonsmoking mothers. Pregnant women who smoke need to quit and give their babies the chance they deserve to be healthy and strong. Since smoking during pregnancy can be fatal to the baby, it should be illegal for pregnant women to smoke. As a Medical Assistant, I have studied the risks of smoking while pregnant. The following are a few of these risks. The fetus may not get enough oxygen and it may not be getting enough nutrition because the mother may be eating less. The baby may be too small and it may not grow well after birth. The baby may have breathing problems and it may be less healthy and less able to survive than babies of mothers who dont smoke. There are many more risks; these are just a few. If pregnant women quit smoking early in pregnancy it will reduce the risk of harm to their baby. The sooner they stop smoking, the better. According to the American Lung Association, Smoking during pregnancy is estimated to account for 20 to 30 percent of low-birth weight babies, up to 14 percent of preterm deliveries, and some 10 percent of all infant deaths (1). I have two girlfriends that smoked during their pregnancies, Nikki and Courtney. Nikkis baby, Lexi, was born one day overdue but only weighed four pounds, three ounces. When Courtney was 28 weeks into her pregnancy (12 weeks until full term) she went into labor and delivered preterm. Joey had a lot of health problems and still does. When he was born he had to have open-heart surgery, and had to be kept in an incubator at the hospital for two months. At three years old Joey developed respiratory disorders such as asthma...