Ask Dr . Smith
Dr . Amanda Smith is a renowned paediatrician and child health expert . She received her PhD in medicine in 1995 , from Queen ’ s University in Kingston , Ontario . After completing her medical residency , she opened up her own practice in Ottawa , Ontario , treating dozens of patients each day . She has completed research on many new medical breakthroughs in child medicine . Dr . Smith has also published several research papers in well known medical journals .
Hi , Ms . Smith !
I recently found out that I was pregnant unexpectedly . I was naturally overjoyed , but there is only one problem . I have smoked cigarettes since I was in my teen years . I have tried to quit in the past to no success . I make it a few days but eventually cave into my cravings for nicotine . I know smoking is harmful to my child , but what exactly are the effects , and how can I quit for good ?
Sincerely , Unhappily Addicted
Dear Unhappily Addicted ,
First of all , let me congratulate you on your drive to quit smoking ! It is certainly a hard step , but one that will benefit your baby in the long run . As for the effects of cigarettes , they can be rather harsh and longterm for the health of your child . Have you ever heard the phrase “ everything that happens to the mother happens to the baby ?” Well , this is very true . When a pregnant woman smokes , the dangerous chemicals present in the cigarette ( nicotine and carbon monoxide , among others ) get carried through her bloodstream and to the baby via the placenta . This can have catastrophic effects on the fetus , such as lowering the amount of oxygen available to the baby . In turn the lack of oxygen can cause brain defects and other long term injuries to the baby . As for quitting smoking , there are many resources you can use to successfully conquer this addiction , but you also must realize that some of the more traditional aids such as nicotine patches or pills cannot be used . You really have two options : you can either quite cold turkey ( either with the help of counselling or not ), or go ahead and use nicotine replacement pills , sprays , or patches . Quitting cold turkey can be extremely hard but without risk of harm from nicotine to the fetus , while using nicotine replacements may contribute to low birth weight and other defects . Either way , you must quit smoking in the early stages of your pregnancy , before any long term damage can be sustained to your child . It may be hard at first , but it is one of the best decisions you can make .
For more resources on how to quit smoking successfully , please visit : http :// www . babycenter . com / 0 _ quitting-smoking-during-pregnancy-how-to-handle-cigarette-cr _ 1405546 . bc
Regards , Dr . Amanda Smith , M . D