Benefits of quitting smoking in pregnancy
The sooner you stop, the better. In the first weeks of pregnancy, the child’s vital organs are developing. The harmful substances from cigarettes can prevent this development. Large-scale research shows that by quitting (co-)smoking when you are pregnant you greatly reduce the chances of problems.
Not smoking reduces the chances of:
- A miscarriage
- Problems with the placenta
- Premature birth or an underweight baby (who is therefore weaker)
- Unexpected death of the baby during pregnancy or around birth
- Crib death (your baby stops breathing during sleep)
- Congenital anomalies, such as cleft lip, cleft palate and club feet
- Lung problems in baby
- Learning and behavioral problems, such as ADHD
- Overweight baby
- Addiction later in life
Advice on quitting smoking in pregnancy
Quitting smoking is not easy. But it can be done. Do you doubt or dread it? You’re not alone. Below we give you advice that may help you:
- Does your partner also smoke? Discuss this together. Quit together! Then you will have support from each other in quitting.
- Ask your family and friends to support you and not smoke around you.
- Seek help! Talk to your doctor or one of our midwives. They can help you or arrange for you to get help from a smoking cessation counselor.
Would you like to discuss what help is best for you?
You can call the free Stop Line for advice: 0800-1995. You can also discuss this with your midwife.
Learn more
- For videos and more information on quitting smoking in pregnancy, visit homedarts.com, Rokeninfo.com and Ikstopnu.com.
- The leaflet“Smokefree pregnancy, it’s better” provides information about quitting smoking if you want to have children, if you are pregnant and how to live smoke-free after giving birth. The leaflet gives you all kinds of practical tips on how to quit smoking and keep it up.
- Watch the movie“Smoke-Free Pregnancy. This video shows you what happens when you smoke during pregnancy. You’ll see what smoking does to your baby in the womb and later in life.
- Read in the cartoon how Wendy quit smoking during her pregnancy. Or watch the animation about it.
- The Smokefree Parents program is a telephone coaching specifically for parents and pregnant women who want help quitting smoking. During a series of phone calls, the quit-smoking coach gives tips. With those tips, you are more likely to stick with quitting smoking. The coaches can also guide pregnant women to quit smoking.