For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.
Pregnant women who quit smoking during the first trimester and women who never smoked during pregnancy have a similar risk of delivering preterm or very small infants … Premature delivery and stunted infant growth are the most well-documented side effects of smoking during pregnancy, and the risks increase for older women …
… Fifteen percent of women who smoked the entire pregnancy gave birth to full-term infants who were small for their gestational age, while 2% gave birth to premature infants who were small for gestational age. Among women who quit smoking during the first trimester, these outcomes occurred 9% and 1% of the time, respectively.
… women who quit smoking in the first trimester reduced their risk of giving birth to a preterm, normal-size infant by 31%. The risk of delivering a full-term, unusually small infant was cut by 55% and the risk for delivering a preterm, unusually small infant was reduced by 53%. … the risk reduction was particularly high for older women … who quit smoking during the first trimester …
Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting 0400 418 448