Twice as many babies weighing less than 5 pounds are born to smokers as to nonsmokers. Pregnant smokers are more likely to suffer bleeding, damage to the placenta, and other problems that trigger early birth. Some experts say infant death rates rise by 20-35 percent among smoking mothers. Many researchers think that childhood leukemia and other cancers can be traced to tobacco exposure before birth. Still, there's good news amid the smoking-related gloom.
Experts think that most serious damage occurs between the fifth and eighth months of pregnancy.
That means if you stop smoking early, risks drop back to normal. Today, the FDA advises pregnant women to limit their use of caffeinated drinks and other products. We'll even throw one more scrap onto the pile of arguments against the drug. Since caffeine is a stimulant, it can cause insomnia, irritability, and tension. While not necessarily harmful, these effects can make pregnancy less comfortable than it could be.