URMC / Encyclopedia / Content Search Encyclopedia What Do You Know About Smoking During Pregnancy? How does smoking affect your baby before and after birth? This quiz will help you learn the facts. 1. Women who smoke in pregnancy are more likely to have babies with birth defects. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Babies born to women who smoke in pregnancy are more likely to have: Clubfoot Opening in the lip (cleft lip) Missing fingers or toes Opening in the roof of the mouth (cleft palate) A. True B. False 2. Smoking doesn't raise a woman's risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Smoking does raise the risk for an ectopic pregnancy. This is when the embryo is implants in a fallopian tube or other place outside the uterus. It then can’t grow into a healthy pregnancy. It is also a danger to the woman’s health. A. True B. False 3. Pregnant women should stay away from secondhand smoke. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Studies suggest that regular contact with secondhand smoke may slow down the growth of the baby in the womb. This makes it more likely for a woman to have a baby with a low birth weight. A. True B. False 4. Smoking raises the risk of having a preterm or stillborn baby. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is The average length of a pregnancy is 40 weeks. A preterm baby is born before 37 weeks. Cigarette smoke has about 2,500 chemicals in it that may harm a baby growing in the womb. Nicotine and carbon monoxide are 2 of these chemicals. They can keep food and oxygen from reaching the baby in the womb. This can lead to preterm birth or stillbirth. A. True B. False 5. A baby of a woman who smokes will likely weigh less at birth than a baby not exposed to smoke. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is They weigh an average of a half-pound less. They are also more likely to be born early. They often need special care after birth. Smoking nearly doubles a woman's risk of having a baby who weighs less than 5.5 pounds. A baby of low birth weight who is born to a woman who smokes is at higher risk for illness and death. A. True B. False 6. Babies born to mothers who smoke in pregnancy are up to 3 times more likely to die from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is SIDS is the unexplained death of an infant. SIDS is the leading cause of death in babies under 12 months of age. Being around smoke is a risk factor for SIDS. A. True B. False 7. Women shouldn't smoke if they are breastfeeding. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Women should not smoke if they are breastfeeding. Nicotine can be passed on to a baby through breastmilk. It is a strong chemical that can harm a baby’s growth and health. A. True B. False 8. A mother who smokes puts her baby at risk for asthma and chronic ear infections. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Babies born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy and after can have weaker lungs. These babies are exposed to secondhand smoke. This is smoke from a burning cigarette. It can also be smoke that a smoker breathes out. A baby’s lungs and airways are small. Breathing smoke-filled air makes it hard for a baby to breathe. It can cause lung problems such as asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis. It can also raise a child’s risk for chronic ear infections. A. True B. False Your score was: Medical Reviewers: Burd, Irina, MD, PhD Freeborn, Donna, PhD, CNM, FNP Trevino, Heather M, BSN, RNC