pregnant women who smoke pass the nicotine and other carcinogenic chemicals to the growing fetus. according to the cdc mothers who smoke early in their pregnancy are more likely to deliver babies that have several different heart defects including septal defects -- which refers to a hole in the wall between the left and right chambers of the heart. women who smoke are also more likely to have problems with the placenta which provides nourishment to the baby in the womb. smokers also have low birth weight babies premature deliveries and babies with cleft palate. in addition smoking during pregnancy and after delivery is one of the causes of sudden infant death syndrome.
what are the risks of cigarette smoking during pregnancy?