The Stork Reality

Tobacco and Alcohol: Dangerous to Mother and Baby

Posted on 10. Sep, 2009 by admin in videos

Sammy waits for his lunch date, and discusses the importance of staying healthy before pregnancy. Since fifty percent of pregnancies are unplanned, it’s important for women of childbearing age to stay healthy. This includes abstaining from alcohol and tobacco.

Nearly forty thousand babies are born in the United States each year with birth defects related to alcohol consumption before birth. Babies born to mothers who drink alcohol can be born with heart defects, mental retardation, and emotional and behavioral disorders, to name a few. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome contributes to more mental retardation in newborns than any other known cause, and is the only preventable cause of mental retardation. Drinking during pregnancy can also cause premature labor and stillbirth.

Smoking tobacco during pregnancy can cause problems for both you and your baby. Women who smoke are more likely to have complications during their pregnancy such as placenta previa, which can lead to bed rest and pain. Babies born to mothers who smoke tend to have low birth weight, are born prematurely more often, and are more likely to die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The best way to prevent complications to your pregnancy and ensure you have a healthy baby is not to drink or smoke, before and during your pregnancy.