During a home visit with a social worker, in her second
trimester of pregnancy, Kalia Yang stares at a chart that shows
how many packs of cigarettes an unborn baby is exposed to if the
mother smokes: Sixty-seven packs - or 1,350 cigarettes - if she
smokes five cigarettes a day in the course of a full-term
pregnancy. Yang is expecting twins in November. She no longer
smokes; she quit as soon as she suspected she was pregnant. It's
a big win for the babies and a small victory in Milwaukee's
battle against infant mortality. Health officials will take it.
In some corners of the city, smoking during pregnancy is seen as
a positive that leads to a smaller baby and a smoother delivery.
In reality, smoking can cause miscarriage, premature birth and
low birth weight. Some women consider breast-feeding uncivilized
and unattractive. They don't grasp its benefits, including
possibly providing protection against sudden infant death
syndrome, or SIDS. Knowledge gaps, which exist everywhere - even
in a community's most stab