Giving up smoking is always difficult. It can be especially hard during pregnancy. But quitting smoking during pregnancy is good for both the pregnant woman and her baby. Women who smoke during pregnancy have a higher risk of miscarriage and still birth.
Babies born to women who are smokers are on the average lighter than babies born to non-smokers.
Nicotine and carbon monoxide from the cigarettes cut down the oxygen supply to the unborn baby and slow its growth. Having an underweight baby puts the baby at risk. If smoking is stopped before the fourth month , however, the baby s birthweight will be closer to normal. Babies of smokers are generally born about 200gms lighter than babies of non-smokers. Small also means underdeveloped, which can create complications, and even an increased risk of death in the first few weeks of life.