Smoking during pregnancy

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Infusion.

OB Nurses:

Is there any condition during pregnancy in which a physician would recommend a woman not stop smoking? Pre-eclampsia? Epilepsy?

Can any of you provide a link to a study or literature that shows quitting smoking cold turkey is harmful to a fetus or mother?

Thanks!

Sherri

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I've heard someone say that their doctor told them that as well, and I think its completely ridiculous.

I actually know a former coworker whose mother smoked the entire time she was pregnant, and she ended up getting leukemia at the age of 10. Is there any way to prove the two are related? No. But I certainly have suspicions. Carcinogens in cigarettes are known to cause various cancers. The really bad thing is then the girl who got cancer at 10 ended up pregnant at 17 and smoked cigarettes and weed all throughout her pregnancy. (And all throughout her shifts!) The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

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If you are so physically unhealthy that quitting smoking will increase your blood pressure to the point that it will harm a fetus...you probably shouldn't be getting pregnant in the first place.

Accidents happen though...good luck with your research, I don't think you'll find much.

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

I've had patients tell me, "A doctor told me that I shouldn't quit smoking because it helps with my anxiety."

My response is usually, "You need to get a new doctor."

I would love to see someone with literature that supports health benefits of any kind for tobacco use. I don't believe you are going to find any research supporting smoking through a pregnancy. Thats just crazy talk!!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I cannot think of a single time where quitting smoking at any point before conception to birth itself was not recommended HIGHLY by any competent practicioner. I agree with AirforceRN.

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Specializes in geriatric/LTC, Urgent Care.

This issue really burns me, I can't stand when anyone does anything they shouldn't while their pregnant and of all things to think that smoking would be beneficial to a person, let alone a fetus is ridiculous! I know several women who smoked while they were pregnant and their babies all weighled less than 4 pounds! To me it should be something punishable by law! And one of the women is an RN, tell me she doesn't know better!:angryfire

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Specializes in OB, GI.

I think that the risks for smoking during pregnancy definatly outweigh the risks for stopping! I see TOO MANY babies born too small and having to stay in the NICU for too long just because mom didn't quit smoking because 'her job was too stressful' (yes I have heard that excuse too many times!)

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I had a patient tell me she smoked before coming for NSTs she did it because it was a stimulant...told her no wonder the baby is nonreactive for an hour stop it (she was also a long time drug user)

I had one 37 weeker I was going through the admission questions... do you drink alcohol while pregnant? she yes me when her last week he told me to go drink some beer....me DON"T listen to him!!! Him being the OB he says that to everyone thinking he's being funny "go home and drink beers" I told him some people believe him.

I live in the tobacco belt with cheap smokes we have a very high rate of smokers.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Anyone seeing the withdrawal a newborn goes through due to mom's tobacco habit, knows it is not good. They are some of the most unhappy, jittery, sad sights you can see. It's horrible. I always know who has lied to me about their amount of tobacco consumption just by how their baby behaves 12 to 24 hours after birth. It is so sad. They are pretty much inconsolable when they begin to withdraw from nicotine.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Me personally, I don't have any problem telling people why their baby is possibly so fussy. It amazes people that the crap they do to their bodies while their pregnant has any effect at all on their babies. Ummmmm.....

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Me personally, I don't have any problem telling people why their baby is possibly so fussy. It amazes people that the crap they do to their bodies while their pregnant has any effect at all on their babies. Ummmmm.....

I like the smokers, drug users, alcoholics who come in and don't want mag or terb because they don't like how it makes them feel or better yet "will it hurt the baby" um not as much as the stuff you've been doing.

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My friend's sister told me that her doctor told her that it was better for her to keep smoking because her baby was going to be really big. :rolleyes: I think remarks like this are often just the patient "hearing what they want to hear." I can easily imagine her doctor telling her that smoking was a risk factor for low birth weight, but that her baby appeared to be good sized on the ultrasound. I can not imagine even the quackiest doctor in the world actually encouraging her to smoke.

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