It should come as no surprise to anyone any more that “tobacco is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in this country,” (Poniers, 1995: 1). Annually, smoking is responsible for nearly half a million deaths a year in this country either directly or through some smoking-related illness. When it comes to pregnancy and smoking, the available literature expresses that the mother, fetus, and even the father remain unaffected physiologically if they smoke prior to conception (in the case of the father’s), or during pregnancy (in the case of the mother and fetus, and the newborn child), “smoking during pregnancy has been blamed for birth defects, low birth-weight (which threatens childhood development), miscarriage, premature delivery and stillbirth. Plus, doctors say smoking during gestation increases by 50 percent the likelihood that the fetus will be mentally retarded,” (Mathis, 1997: 1). This analysis will discuss the physiological effects of smoking during pregnancy. A brief conclusion will address the future role health care groups and community action need to play in bringing about this awareness to pregnant women and couples.
When it comes to smoking and pregnancy there are many physiological effects. Where the mother is concerned, there is a greater chance of placental disorders and uterine bleeding among women who smoke. In a Canadian study conducted on 87,184 pregnancies between 1986 and 1993, researchers focused on the incidence of smoking and placental previa, placental abruption, and uterine bleeding. Placental abruption is the premature separation of the placenta, and placental previa is when the placenta blocks or adheres to the cervix entrance. The results have major implications for women who intend to smoke during pregnancy, “Overall placental abruption occurred in 10 pregnancies per 1,000, placenta previa in four per 1,000 and bleeding of unknown cause in 59 per 1,000. Women w...