Smoking in pregnancy

Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life. It can be difficult to stop smoking, but it is never too late to quit.

Every cigarette you smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, so smoking when you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby.

Cigarettes can also restrict the essential oxygen supply to your baby. This is due to the carbon monoxide being delivered to the baby through the placenta instead of oxygen.

Stopping smoking now will also help your baby later in life. Children whose parents smoke are more likely to suffer from asthma and other serious illnesses that may need hospital treatment.