6.+Risks+and+Developmental+Problems+of+the+Fetus

=**Risks and Developmental** **Problems to the Fetus**= Women who smoke during their pregnancy puts themselves and their unborn child at serious risk, and create lifelong developmental problems for their child.


 * [[image:Smoking_Mom.jpg width="244" height="407" align="right"]]Ectopic Pregnancy** - During the first trimester of her pregnancy, mothers who smoke (especially those who smoke heavily) are at risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. In an ectopic pregnancy the fetus is embedded in the fallopian tube, instead of in the uterus. When this occurs, the fetus cannot survive. If this condition is not detected early and treated, the mother's life will be at risk.


 * Spontaneous Miscarraige** - In the first trimester, the risk of spontaneous miscarraige is two to three times higher in mothers who smoke than those who do not. This may be due to an increase in the number of abnormal embryos that are associated with smoking.


 * Placental Abruption** - This condition is known to be quite common among smoking mothers. This occurs when the placenta separates itself from the uterus prematurely before birth. This causes severe obdominal pain and bleeding from the vagina. This condition can lead to death of the mother and child.


 * Low Birth Weight** - The average birth weight of babies born to mothers who smoke is 250 grams less than that of babies born to mothers who do not smoke. Low birth weight babies usually end up in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as soon as they are born. They miss out on the immediate skin-to-skin bonding with their mothers and are more likely to develop serious health problems such as respiratory illnesses, learning disorders, visual and growth problems.


 * Premature Babies** - 15% of all premature births (babies born before 37 weeks) are caused by smoking. Premature babies are prone to experiencing visual problems, jaundice, breathing difficulties, anemia, bleeding in the brain, damage to their lungs, cerebral palsy and being delayed in many areas of their development. They are also at a high risk of dying within the first two months of their life.


 * Death** - The perinatal mortality rate has increased 150% due to mothers smoking during their pregnancy. This has climbed significantly over the years.

The effects of smoking is lifelong and continues to affect children after birth and throughout their childhood, This is compounded if the child is subjected to second hand smoke in the home environmet. Babies of mothers who smoked are at a higher risk of dying from **SIDS.** This risk is even higher if the infant is exposed to second smoke.

Many other illnesses and developmental problems can develop as the child gets older. **Asthma, ear infections,** **allergies, respiratory** **infections, type 2 diabetes,** **behavioural problems** and **intellectual problems** are a few.