I'm pregnant with my first child. But I'm worried because I've been a smoker since college and am afraid I won't be able to quit. How could smoking affect the pregnancy? – Evangeline You wouldn't light a cigarette, put it in your baby's mouth, and encourage your little one to puff away. As ridiculous as that sounds, pregnant women who continue to smoke are allowing their fetus to smoke too. The smoking mother passes nicotine, carbon monoxide, and other chemicals to her growing baby. If a pregnant woman smokes, it could cause: miscarriage or stillbirth premature birth low birth weight sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) asthma and other respiratory problems As hard as quitting can be, it's vital to stop smoking as soon as possible. Talk to your doctor about options for quitting. Not only will you be keeping your unborn baby healthier, you'll also be well on your way to being healthier yourself! Back to Articles Related Articles Pregnancy & Newborn Center Advice and information for expectant and new parents. Read More Pregnancy Precautions: FAQs Moms-to-be have a lot of questions about what's safe during pregnancy. Keep your sanity by knowing what you can - and can't - do before your baby arrives. Read More Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants 1 month to 1 year old. Though SIDS remains unpredictable, you can help reduce your infant's risk. Read More Miscarriages Miscarriages are common, and in most cases aren't preventable. But you can take steps to increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy. Read More Staying Healthy During Pregnancy During your pregnancy, you'll probably get advice from everyone. But staying healthy depends on you - read about the many ways to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible. Read More 5 Ways to Prevent Early Labor (Slideshow) It's best for babies not to be born before they're due. Learn what you can do to prevent early labor. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.