A study of the Clinical Hospital of Valencia has revealed that smoking in pregnancy doubles the risk of death of the newborn or suffer from diseases such as sudden infant death syndrome.
Maternal smoking during pregnancy is also related to multiple problems in the baby, such as the risk of congenital defects, behavioral problems, and strabismus, in addition to affecting the development of the baby's brain.
The most unfortunate news related to the harmful effects of tobacco is that they are preventable evils, especially during pregnancy when the health of the future child is at stake.
According to the researchers, smoking in pregnancy doubles the probability of death at birth or of dying during the first year of life due to sudden infant death syndrome, as well as suffering from diseases that require resorting to emergencies or hospital admissions.
These are figures that we did not know, but they assure that smoking in pregnancy causes at least 750 deaths a year in Spain, between late fetal deaths and deaths in the first year of life.
We already know that it is not an easy habit to quit. Tobacco is a very addictive drug that costs to quit when you get pregnant. Of women smokers, only 43.5% quit when they know they are pregnant, while more than half continue to smoke.
Given the smoking in pregnancy doubles the risk of death of the newbornIn addition to bringing other risks to the baby, there should be specialized medical care for more women to leave, and of course the help of the husband (or partner) that is key to achieving it. They should also leave when the woman becomes pregnant.
