Effects on the Children They Carry: There are many effects that cigarette smoking by pregnant women have on their fetuses. The relationship between maternal smoking and fetal development shows that smoking can induce spontaneous abortion, affect birth weight, and bring about fetal malformations. The long-term effects of smoking while pregnant on the offspring are its influence on growth, the chance of SIDS, respiratory disorders, and behavior. Smoking while pregnant can affect a baby's life immediately, through distorted birth weight and fetal malformations, or end it, through spontaneous abortion. Spontaneous abortion has been studied from many angles in order to determine its link to maternal smoking. Since 1931, many surveys, documents, and studies have been recorded in this area. The results of these reports are all in agreement: smoking while pregnant increases the chance of miscarriage. There isn't one reason for this, that can be applied to every situation, however. Several theories have risen from the numerous experiments. One idea is that placental development may be stunted from the cigarette smoke, which would render the placenta unable to support a fetus. Another conclusion is that smoking may cause abnormal development of the embryo, but this can rarely be linked directly with smoking. Another possibility is that smoking affects hormonal systems that sustain pregnancy, for example, progesterone, so that the uterus is unable to support implantation. Tests are being done now to find other reasons smoking may induce abortion. One major factor that is probably paid the most attention to regarding this topic is birth weight. This is because birth weight is a fairly accurate barometer of prenatal development. Another reason is because birth weight is most commonly associated with maternal smoking. The tests involving birth weight have been more successful than those involving spontaneous abortion.
