Effects Of Passive Smoking On Fetus

It is a well known fact that smoking is injurious to health. But, one thing that requires more importance is that passive smoking also has the same effect on a person exposed to the toxic materials of tobacco. It is the same in the case of pregnant women as well. Continuous exposure to passive smoking by pregnant women will directly affect the normal growth and development of the foetus. A woman can get exposed to passive smoking in many situations. It can be from her own parents, partner or from her workplace.

According to a new study in the medical journal Pediatrics, just being around other smokers can increase the risk of harming your unborn baby. There are studies which prove that certain genetic mutations in babies are linked to tobacco- smoke exposure. The risk of passive smoking is almost the same as that of a smoking mother. It is very important to keep your partner also aware of the chances of birth defects that may occur to our baby. According to Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, Harvard Medical School, it is important for the mother and father to stay away from smoking during the preconception period and during the pregnancy. 

The more the exposure to passive smoking by pregnant women, the more serious birth defects your baby may face. Here are some of the common problems that may occur due to continuous exposure to passive smoking during pregnancy.

Effects Of Passive Smoking On Fetus  

Deformities: Exposure to passive smoking during pregnancy will causes genetic damage in your developing foetus. Passive smoking will affect pregnant women by increasing the chances of major deformities of the feet, testes, or not have a brain.

Spontaneous abortion: Continuous exposure to passive smoking may end up in spontaneous abortion of the foetus. Passive smoking may cause genetic mutations in the foetus. This may affect the growth and development of the foetus, resulting in spontaneous abortion.

Birth defects: Birth defects are one of the common health effects of passive smoking during pregnancy. Exposure to the toxic materials in the smoke will induce mutations. These mutations are likely to have lifelong impact in the form of serious and irreversible birth defects.

Stillbirth: Exposure to passive smoking by pregnant women increases the chances of having a stillbirth by 23 percent. Passive smoking will adversely affect the normal growth and development of the foetus and this may ultimately result in stillbirth.

Low birth weight: A non-smoking pregnant women has the chance to give birth to a baby with low birth weight, if she was exposed to continuous passive smoking during her pregnancy period. Passive smoking causes foetal hypoxia and vasoconstriction decreasing maternal blood supply to the placenta.

Defective internal organs: A pregnant woman who is exposed to passive smoking will have a less functioning placenta.  Nicotine will cross the placenta and decreases the blood flow to the foetus. This will affect the fetal cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system and central nervous system.

Neurological problems: if you are experiencing passive smoking during your pregnancy, chances are more for your unborn baby to have neurological abnormalities. Studies show that babies, who had intrauterine exposure to cigarette smoke, have abnormal neurobehavioural development. 

Respiratory problems: Foetus of mothers who had exposure to passive smoking is at a risk of having abnormal respiratory development. They will have breathing difficulty after birth and will be prone to develop asthma in the future.

Premature birth: One of the most common problems that passive smoking during pregnancy brings is the premature birth of the foetus. This will affect the normal development of the baby creating further health complications in the future.

http://www.boldsky.com/pregnancy-parenting/prenatal/2013/effects-of-secondhand-smoke-on-fetus-036817.html