8/7/2019 Healthy Babies vs Baby of Smoker

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Healthy Babies VS. Babies of Smoking Mothers:

Infants of Smoking Mothers are affected in many ways:

1. Smoking retards growth. Nicotine in cigarettes reduces blood flow to the baby by narrowinguterine blood vessels. The baby does not receive all the nutrients it needs to grow and develop

properly. Smoking also causes carbon monoxide to enter the blood traveling to the placenta,

robbing the baby of adequate oxygen supply.

2. Smoking retards brain development. Low levels of oxygen can be very harmful to the developingbrain. A developing brain that does not receive adequate oxygen can result in neurological

impairment of the baby. Nicotine may be poisonous to the area of the brain that regulates heart

and respiratory functions. Babies exposed to nicotine are more likely to be born with mucous-

blocked airways and episodes of apnea. Many babies are insistent nose breathers and do not

switch to breathing through their mouth even when the nasal passageway is blocked, which can

seriously compromise the babys breathing. It has been found that babies of smoking mothers

have diminished arousal from sleep because of low oxygen levels.

3. Smoking increases the risk of prematurity. Smoking increases the likelihood of several differentcomplications including premature rupture of fetal membranes, placenta previa, and premature

detachment of the placenta. These complications can all lead to premature birth.

4. Smoking increases the risk of SIDS. As a babys birthweight and gestational age decrease, the riskof SIDS increases. Smoking can cause babies to be born prematurely and at a low birth weight.

Also, whenever a baby is deprived of oxygen, it increases the risk of SIDS. Not only is

smokingharmful to developing lungs, but it is also detrimental to growing hearts. HDL is goodcholesterol that protects the heart from disease. HDL levels were found to be lower in children

of smoking parents. In addition, researchers have found high levels of cotinine in the fluid

around the hearts of some infants who died of SIDS. Cotinine is a chemical that is produced

when the body has to break down nicotine. Smoke toxins can also depress the automatic

regulation of heart rates.The lower respiratory tract is lined with tiny filaments, called

cilia.Ciliakeep the air passages open by waving back and forth, clearing mucous. Smoke inhibits

the ability of the cilia to move back and forth, leaving the increased mucous that is secreted

during colds and allergies to clog the air passages. Children of smoking parents are at an

increased risk of respiratory infections. Respiratory viruses are frequently found at postmortem

examination of SIDS infants. Respiratory infections within two weeks of death have beenimplicated in setting up a baby for SIDS.

Smoking during pregnancy can have long term effects on the child. It has been found that children

whose mothers smoked during pregnancy have been more likely to show the following complications:

Decreased newborn Apgar scores (if smoking more than one pack a day)

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Decreased mental performance scoring at age one year

Decreased academic performance scores in the school-age child

Reduced I.Q.

Shorter stature (by one to two centimeters)

Smaller head circumference as infants

Increased learning difficulties (children were 25 percent more likely to have learning disabilities

if their mother smoked greater than 20 cigarettes a day)

Increased hyperactivity

Increased behavioral problems