Myth:

"It is less stressful on the baby for me to continue smoking."

Truth:

Smoking during pregnancy does not help you or the baby.

Myth:

"Smoking fewer cigarettes during pregnancy is good enough."

Truth:

There is no safe level of smoking. Even a few cigarettes a day means many poisons are hurting you and your baby’s health. It is never too late to quit. Quitting at any time is likely to reduce the bad effects of smoking on your baby. But quitting early means a better start to life for your baby.

Myth:

"I am 3 months pregnant. What's the point of quitting now? The damage is done."

Truth:

There are benefits to quitting at any time in your pregnancy. If you quit now, your risk of having a low-weight baby will be similar to that of a non-smoker.¹

Myth:

"There is nothing wrong with having a low-weight baby—it just means a quicker and easier birth."

Truth:

A smaller baby is more likely to become stressed during birth, leading to a harder delivery. Labor with a small, under-weight baby is no easier or shorter than labor with an average-sized baby. Low-birth-weight babies are more likely to have serious health problems than normal-weight babies.

Myth:

"Smoking relaxes me, and being relaxed is better for my baby."

Truth:

You may feel calmer when smoking; but the results inside your body are the opposite. Smoking speeds up your heart rate, increases your blood pressure, and weakens your nervous system. Every puff of a cigarette puts chemicals into your bloodstream, making less air available to your baby.

Myth:

"If I stop smoking, I'll put on too much weight."

Truth:

During pregnancy, you need more calories to meet the needs of your growing baby and to keep you healthy. This means eating different kinds of healthy foods. Ask your doctor how much weight gain is healthy for you and your baby.

Myth:

"I know women who smoked and had normal-weight babies. The risks of smoking aren’t really that great."

Truth:

Having a low-weight baby is only one of many risks that can happen when you smoke while pregnant. Some of the other health problems don’t show up until the baby is older. Kids whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are at greater risk for having behavioral problems, including ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).^2-4Kids whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are at an increased risk of having a learning disorder and becoming smokers themselves^5-6.