Exposure to cigarettes during pregnancy and after birth threatens baby health

In this news of Anadolu Agency's (AA) file titled "One Breath, A Thousand Poisons", the effects of active and passive smoking exposure during pregnancy on the baby in the womb and the health risks that may arise in babies exposed to cigarette smoke after birth are discussed.

Zeynep Kamil Women's and Children's Diseases Training and Research Hospital Neonatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Elif Özalkaya stated to the AA correspondent that if the mother smokes during pregnancy, nicotine passes through the placenta and disrupts the oxygenation of the fetus, and carbon monoxide exposure negatively affects this situation.

Stating that the most common situations related to smoking are low birth weight, prematurity and growth retardation in the womb, Özalkaya stated that the risk of stillbirth also increases.

Özalkaya noted that recent studies have examined the effects of smoking during pregnancy on the brain, lungs and heart of the fetus and said, "There are studies showing that it may cause attention deficit and hyperactivity, especially in the brain, and increase the risk. There are also studies showing that it may disrupt lung functions and cause symptoms that we call asthma and wheezing (wheezing) and high blood pressure in later ages." he said.

"Drinking by those around you can affect a baby in the womb."

Özalkaya pointed out that exposure to passive smoking can also harm the baby in the womb and said, "If the father smokes, the mother does not smoke, and if there is still exposure to smoke in the womb, there is still a risk of stillbirth, low birth weight and prematurity. In other words, not only the mother's smoking but also the smoking of those around her can affect a baby in the womb." he said.

Emphasizing that exposure to cigarette smoke after birth carries significant health risks for the baby, Özalkaya said, "If the baby continues to smoke after birth, it can cause respiratory infections, pneumonia, asthma, wheezing and, most of all, sudden infant death syndrome, which we fear most." he said.

Özalkaya stated that the risk increases as the amount of cigarettes increases, but consuming a low amount of cigarettes cannot be considered safe, and said, "Of course, there is a difference between one cigarette and a pack of cigarettes, as the density increases, the risk increases, but even one cigarette increases all these risks. We do not have a safe range. 'If you smoke this much, the baby will not be affected.' "There is no amount we can say, zero." he said.

"Every moment the mother quits smoking is valuable for the baby"

Prof. Dr. Özalkaya underlined that it is not enough to just not smoke around the baby and said, "We call it smoke-free airspace. We do not want these things like the mother or father smoking on the balcony and then touching the baby. Because nicotine is a substance that can penetrate both the baby's clothes, the baby's toys and furniture." he said.

Stating that they encourage quitting smoking during pregnancy and breastfeeding, Özalkaya said that the products to be used in the treatment of nicotine addiction should be preferred under the supervision of a physician.