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Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program. I’m Joshua Leo.
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And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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“I honestly do not think a few puffs from a cigarette are going to do that much damage to my unborn baby.”
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These are the words of Kerry Katona. Kerry is a British Pop Star. She was once part of the famous singing group “Atomic Kitten.”
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In November, 2007, Kerry was four months pregnant. While she was pregnant, news reports said Kerry was still smoking cigarettes. She says:
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“I was smoking twenty [20] cigarettes every day before I was pregnant. Now I have cut down to one a day. In the morning, I like a little puff on a cigarette.”
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Kerry admits that smoking could be dangerous for her baby. But she continues to do it. She says:
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“I honestly do not think a few puffs from a cigarette are going to do that much damage to my unborn baby.”
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What about you? What do you think about smoking while pregnant? In today’s Spotlight, we look at what can happen when a woman smokes during pregnancy.
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The International Network of Women Against Tobacco says that about twelve percent of the world’s women currently smoke. And they say that number is currently rising. The World Health Organization estimates that the number of women smokers will triple over the next generation. The March of Dimes is a group that works in the United States. They work through research, community services and education to improve the health of babies. They say that many women who already smoke will continue to smoke when they become pregnant.
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A woman who is pregnant carries a great responsibility. She must care for her own body. But she must also care for the growing baby inside her. When a woman takes substances into her own body, she also passes many of these substances into her unborn baby’s body. This includes cigarette smoke.
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Many people already know the risks adults take when they choose to smoke. Dangers from smoking include poor general health, lung problems, cancers, heart disease, and many other problems. But many people do not know the dangers of smoking for an unborn baby.
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A pregnant mother and her unborn baby are connected. A temporary organ called the placenta connects them. The placenta takes important substances like food and oxygen from the mother’s blood. It passes these substances to the baby. It also takes waste substances from the baby back into the mother. The placenta can take out some harmful substances before they reach the baby. But it cannot take out all of them.
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Cigarettes contain over two thousand five hundred [2,500] different chemicals. One of these chemicals is nicotine. Nicotine is the drug that makes people want more cigarettes. This drug can pass through the placenta to an unborn baby.
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Nicotine affects blood vessels - the tubes that carry blood and oxygen through a person’s body. Nicotine makes blood vessels smaller, so they carry less blood and oxygen to an unborn baby.
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Another poison released by cigarette smoking is carbon monoxide. When a pregnant woman smokes, carbon monoxide enters her blood. It takes the place of some of the oxygen in her blood. This means an unborn baby is not getting the oxygen she needs.
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Doctors say that smoking while pregnant can have tragic results. Smoking while pregnant can cause a baby to be born early. The baby may be born too early to survive. This is a miscarriage. If the baby does survive, he may suffer many health problems. Or, a baby may be born at the right time, but he may just be too small to be healthy.
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A baby’s survival depends mainly on his weight at birth - his birthweight. Low-birthweight babies weigh less than two thousand five hundred [2,500] grams. The WHO says that cigarette smoking has a direct influence on how much a newborn baby will weigh. So, larger babies have a better chance at being healthy. The March of Dimes says that smoking nearly doubles a woman’s risk of having a low-birthweight baby. Many people know that smoking is dangerous for adults. But smoking also affects unborn babies.
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Completely stopping smoking is the best method for preventing harm. But even if a pregnant woman just reduces the number of cigarettes she smokes, she can improve her baby’s health a lot. A full pregnancy is nine months. The WHO says that smoking after the fourth month of pregnancy does the most damage to a baby. But if a mother stops smoking before her fourth month, her baby may not suffer any problems at all! One report said: “Women who stopped smoking during pregnancy gave birth to babies of similar birthweight to those who did not smoke.”
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So, how can pregnant women stop smoking? There is no easy way to stop smoking. But there are ways to help. The March of Dimes suggests trying some of these methods:
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Write down your reasons for stopping smoking. Or tell these reasons to a friend. When you are tempted to smoke, look at your list or ask your friend to help you remember your reasons. Call your friend if you need help.
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Stay away from people, places, and events that make you feel like smoking.
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Choose a particular day to stop smoking. On that day get rid of all your smoking materials, like cigarettes and matches.
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Learn about stopping smoking programs in your community. There may be other people just like you who are trying to stop smoking. You may be able to help each other.
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Most importantly, do not get depressed or sad if you face difficulties in stopping smoking. Just continue trying.
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Women who are pregnant and are trying to stop smoking need support. Support from the baby’s father, another family member, or other important person in a woman’s life can increase her chances of stopping smoking. Understanding the risks and dangers of smoking also helps women make the right choice to stop smoking.
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Christians believe that life is from God. He forms people and knows every person before we are even born. Life is valuable and important - it is precious. Smoking destroys lives. Adults can choose to stop smoking. But babies who are still forming cannot make that choice. Do not let smoking destroy the lives of unborn babies. Every person can work to save those lives.
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