If you still smoke and need convincing, here's the best reason for you to quit. That goes for your partner as well. Smoking Cigarette smoke contains a lot of nasty substances, including nicotine, cyanide, hydrocarbons, vinyl chloride, and carbon monoxide, none of which is good for you or your developing fetus. Experts don't know exactly which components of smoke have what effects, but we do know that these toxins get into the mother's blood and cross the placenta. In addition, they cause decreased blood flow and reduced oxygen supply to the fetus.
Smoking also reduces vitamin C levels, among other vitamin levels.
If you smoke during pregnancy, your baby may suffer from growth retardation, mental disorders, placental complications such as abruptio placenta and placenta previa, miscarriage, or even death. You, meanwhile, may experience symptoms ranging from shortness of breath to vaginal bleeding. Significant effects can occur with less than half a pack of cigarettes daily. If you or your husband smokes, you may have a harder time becoming pregnant. Male smokers have been found to have lower sperm counts, and in at least one study, odd-shaped sperm.