Myths & Facts About Smoking in Pregnancy - KFL&A Public Health

Myths & Facts
About Smoking
in Pregnancy
Myth: It’s too stressful to quit smoking when I’m pregnant.
Fact: Most people have stress in their lives, and pregnancy means dealing with change. This can always
make it inconvenient to quit smoking. If you want to quit, it will help to learn new coping strategies and
develop a plan of how you will cope with stress without tobacco.
Myth: Smaller babies are easier to deliver.
Fact: Babies exposed to tobacco smoke receive less food and oxygen from their mom due to the carbon
monoxide present in the smoke. As a result they tend to weigh less and are more likely to have health
complications which can make the delivery more difficult, and may lead to a longer hospital stay.
Myth: It’s too late to quit smoking. It won’t do any good.
Fact: It’s never too late to quit. Ideally, you should quit smoking before becoming pregnant. But you and
your baby can benefit from quitting at any time during your pregnancy and even after your baby is born.
No matter how long you have been smoking, your body will benefit from quitting.
Myth: “My other babies were okay” or “I can’t see how it can hurt”.
Fact: Most people have “proof” that other women smoked in pregnancy and delivered healthy
babies. Moms who smoke during pregnancy have an increased risk of developing health problems and
complications for both herself and her baby. Sometimes the effects of smoking in pregnancy don’t show up
in obvious ways. For example, the child may experience more colds and other lung problems, and may be
more likely to smoke when they get older.
Myth: “As long as I don’t smoke, it doesn’t matter that other people smoke around me”.
Fact: When other people smoke around a pregnant woman, she and her baby are exposed to the
tobacco smoke. The effects on the baby are similar to if the woman smoked herself. Smoking around a
pregnant woman who has quit can also make it very difficult for her to remain quit. To support a pregnant
woman to remain tobacco-free, friends, family, and partners should smoke outside and away from the
pregnant woman.
Myth: “I’ll gain too much weight if I quit smoking”.
Fact: Gaining weight during pregnancy is healthy and necessary. You can maintain a healthy weight
before, during, and after pregnancy by eating healthy, being physically active, and quitting smoking.
Speak to your health care provider for more information and tips on how to maintain a healthy weight, and
develop a plan that is right for you.

Myth: “My doctor said not to quit cold turkey because it is dangerous to my baby”.
Fact: Not true. Quitting smoking in pregnancy is safer for you and your baby than continuing to smoke.
Myth: “If I cut down the number of cigarettes I smoke per day, I won’t do as much harm
to myself or my baby”.
Fact: Cutting down on the number of cigarettes smoked per day is a great accomplishment, and can be
used as a way to help you get started on your quit plan. However, it does not help to protect you or your
baby from the harm caused by smoking. If your goal is to quit completely, focus on what has motivated
you to cut back as you try to reduce further, and be careful not to inhale deeper or take more puffs to get
the same amount of nicotine as before.
Myth: “If I smoke “light” cigarettes that are low in nicotine and tar, then I don’t do as
much damage to myself and the baby”.
Fact: Light and mild cigarettes do not reduce harm. Smokers often cover the holes in light cigarettes with
either their lips or fingers. This means you get the same amount of tar and nicotine as you do from regular
cigarettes.
Myth: “It will be easier to quit smoking after the baby is born”.
Fact: When the baby is born, you will be adjusting to your new life and routine. That can be stressful and
you may not want to focus on quitting smoking and going through withdrawal. If you can quit smoking
before the baby is born, you will have developed coping skills and will be better able to cope with the
arrival of your newborn.
Adapted with permission from Pregnets. Pregnets is funded by the Tobacco Control Program, Health Canada.
Help is available!
If you are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant,
breastfeeding, or have recently had a baby, you
and your partner may be eligible for free support
to become tobacco free.
What is available?
• In person support from qualified public health
nurses at your local KFL&A Public Health office
• Access to subsidized Nicotine Replacement
Therapy
• Options will be offered to help you create your
own personal plan for you and your family.
If you would like more information or support to become tobacco-free, please call the
Child & Babytalk Phone Line at 613-549-1154 or 1-800-267-7875 ext. 1555
and ask about the Take Control Baby Steps program.
For information online, visit www.pregnets.org.
May 2013