Tobacco Facts

Fetal Smoking

A woman who smokes while pregnant smokes for two - herself and her baby. This affects the unborn child in many ways. Because smoking causes blood vessels to become narrower, the baby gets less of the mother's blood supply. This increases the risk of miscarriage and low birth weight. A baby born at a lower-than-normal weight is more likely to have health problems. Further, a newborn child in the care of a mother who smokes is at risk for lung problems caused by cigarette smoke. In some infants of mothers who smoke, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may also be a risk.

Infertility

Women: If you are a woman and you smoke, your cigarette addiction may make it harder for you to become pregnant. Cigarette smoking causes problems with the Fallopian tubes that pass eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. Sadly, smoking is a popular activity among teenage girls. These girls may be robbing themselves of the ability to have children.

Men: Men who smoke also may have problems with being able to father a child. Poisons in cigarette smoke can damage a man's sperm. Damaged sperm may be less able to make a woman pregnant, or may result in health difficulties for the child. This is only one of the ways that cigarette smoking can ruin your future.

Menopause

Menopause is when a woman reaches the age when she can no longer become pregnant. Most women reach menopause by their late 40s or early 50s. A woman who smokes cigarettes tends to reach the age of menopause sooner than if she had not smoked. And the more cigarettes she smokes, the sooner she will reach menopause.

Wrinkles

If you smoke, your cigarette isn't the only thing that burns up! Poisons in cigarette smoke age your skin and dry it out, causing wrinkles. Smoking not only robs your health, it makes you look older than you otherwise would.

Source: (tobaccofreekids.org)

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