Could smoking during pregnancy effect the fetus?
Patient: Hi my name is nia and i m 10 weeks pregnant i went to my obgyn and they did an ultrasound and they said that the baby had a good heartbeat and at my next doctor visit they will hear the heart beat well the problem is that since i smokes ciggarettes could anything go wrong ? Doctor: Hallow Dear,Smoking - whether active or passive  - is definitely harmful to the mother as well as baby in utero. Nicotine in tobacco causes detrimental effects on the blood vessels. Hence rise in mother's blood pressure and placental starving due to constriction of the blood vessels are common effects of tobacco. This placental effect leads to intrauterine growth retardation of the baby. In addition to high blood pressure, there are many effects on the mother's health like hyperacidity, confusion, sleeplessness, risk of cancer, etc. Tobacco in any form is harmful - smoking, chewing, snuffing or applying to gums and teeth (mishri). So avoid tobacco use completely, and also avoid passive smoking also totally. I hope this gives you message. Dr. Nishikant Shrotri