I recently received a phone call from Molly. Molly told me that she had just found out that she was pregnant; this was a surprise, but a welcome one. However, Molly confessed that she smokes a pack of cigarettes per day and her doctor recommends that she quit smoking since cigarettes can present a number of hazards for her pregnancy and baby. Molly’s friend told her that e-cigarettes were safe in pregnancy and would help Molly with her efforts to reduce use of traditional …
The Baby Blog: Tobacco
Cigarette Smoke
This sheet talks about exposure to cigarette smoke in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is in cigarette smoke? Cigarette smoke is made of gases and very tiny particles that are released when cigarettes are burned. It has over 4,000 compounds including nicotine, tar, arsenic, lead, and carbon monoxide. When you breathe the cigarette smoke into your lungs, the gases and particles get …
E-cigarettes (Vaping)
This sheet talks about exposure to e-cigarettes in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What are e-cigarettes? Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes are battery operated devices that heat a liquid solution into an aerosol (a fine spray) that you inhale (breath in), like you would inhale tobacco smoke from a traditional cigarette. E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes …
Carbon Monoxide
This sheet talks about exposure to carbon monoxide in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your health care provider. What is carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide is a gas. It has no color, smell, or taste. Small amounts of carbon monoxide are normally found in our bodies and in the air we breathe. Large amounts of carbon monoxide gas can be released from poorly working heaters, furnaces, grills, kerosene stoves, or other …
Episode 15: 5 Tips for Birth Defects Prevention: Part 2
Chris Stallman, a certified genetic counselor, teratogen information specialist and mother of three (soon four), continues her conversation with two experts and new moms from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to talk about the five tips for preventing birth defects, which includes the importance of a healthy weight and boosting your health by avoiding harmful substances during pregnancy. Harmful substances discussed include alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The tips are part of the …
