Effects Of Smoking During Pregnancy

Question:
I was wondering if there were any studies or maybe anecdotal evidence about the children whose mother's smoked during pregnancy having a higher rate of taking up smoking themselves. Is it at all possible that while smoking during pregnancy you are increasing the likelihood of hooking your kids on it? I smoke too, but have cut way back while trying to get pg -- and fully intend cold turkey stop as soon as I find out or suspect that I am. If women who did crack/cocaine while pregnant have children who are addicted at birth doesn't it then make sense that if you smoke, the child will also be addicted to nicotine?

Answer:
Studies do show that children of smokers' are more likely to become smokers, although it's unclear whether it's physiological or a learned habit. You should stop right away--you obviously care very much for your future child, what about you? Plus, you don't get signs the day you conceive. It also takes a long time for all of the built-up toxins in your blood to leave. You'll be passing along those toxins to your child even if you quit a month before you get pregnant. Depending on how heavily you smoke(d), it can take a couple of years to completely clean out your system. I will add here that other studies have been done showing the effects of smoking on an unborn child--when a mother inhales smoke, the baby's breathing slows. If the mother even thinks of taking a smoke, the baby's breathing slows down, as a defense mechanism. Cocaine is far more addictive than nicotine is. The side effects of cocaine withdrawal are more severe than the side effects of nicotine withdrawal. Either way, it's very unkind to that child.