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Quitting Smoking or Vaping During Pregnancy

Table of Contents


Overview

When you're pregnant, everything you put in your body can affect your pregnancy. If you smoke, your fetus is exposed to chemicals such as nicotine and carbon monoxide.

Secondhand smoke also is a problem. If you breathe other people's tobacco smoke during pregnancy, your baby is more likely to have health problems.

Smoking during pregnancy increases the chance of:

Babies with low weight at birth can have more health problems than those born at normal weight. Some of the problems can be serious. A baby with a low birth weight may have a greater chance for problems in adulthood, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

Experts recommend avoiding vaping during pregnancy.1 Vaping can expose you to nicotine and other chemicals that are not safe for you or the fetus. More research is needed to understand all the risks of vaping during pregnancy.

If you smoke or vape, quit. If you can't quit, cut back as much as you can. Ask your doctor or midwife about ways to quit or cut back.

If you quit smoking before you become pregnant (or during the first 3 months of pregnancy), your risk of having a baby with a low birth weight is the same as that of someone who doesn't smoke. Quitting later in pregnancy still lowers the risk of problems for your baby.

How do you quit smoking or vaping when you are pregnant?

When you're ready to quit smoking or vaping, these tips can help.

Get ready

Make a plan for quitting

Get support


References

Citations

  1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2020). Tobacco and nicotine cessation during pregnancy. ACOG Committee Opinion, No. 807. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 135(5): e221–e229. DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000003822. Accessed November 14, 2020.

Credits for Quitting Smoking or Vaping During Pregnancy

Current as of: July 10, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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