The reasons to stop smoking when you’re pregnant are overwhelming: you cut your baby’s risk of being born underweight or premature and developing long-term health problems such as asthma. You also cut your own risk of heart disease, chronic lung problems like emphysema and smoking-related cancers, so you’re more likely to be around to watch your child grow up. And you’ll have more energy and more money, which every mom needs!
Here are your options when you decide to save your and your baby’s health.
1. Cold turkey
Stopping without any medicine is the best solution, as your baby won’t be exposed to nicotine replacement or other chemicals. “It may seem easier to cut back gradually, but you’ll still be exposing baby to harmful cigarette chemicals – it’s estimated there are about 7000 harmful chemicals, 200 of them poisonous and nearly 70 carcinogenic (cancer-causing),” says Dr Yussuf Saloojee, the National Council Against Smoking’s (NCAS) executive director.
Rather ring a calendar date and just quit on that day: toss out your cigarettes and ashtrays, wash bedding and curtains to get rid of the smell, and cultivate alternative habits to lighting up: drink a glass of water, take a stroll, talk to a friend, focus on a hobby.
“It takes two or three days for nicotine to leave your system and about 10 days for the worst withdrawal symptoms to fade,” Dr Salojee says. Keep reminding yourself of the reasons to quit (pin up a baby pic or scan), and ask for support from family and friends. Also consider calling the NCAS helpline (011 720 3145) for support.
2. Nicotine replacement treatments (NRTs)
If you’re a heavy smoker or have failed at cold turkey before, ask your doctor or midwife about nicotine gum or spray to lessen cravings. The success rate of quitting with NRT is nearly twice that of quitting on your own, but you’re still exposing your baby to nicotine, which Dr Saloojee says plays a role in pregnancy complications. “It’s better to use NRT to help you quit than to continue to smoke cigarettes,” he says, “but the manufacturers say it is contraindicated during pregnancy.”
NRT gum, lozenges and microtabs are considered safer than patches when pregnant, and some are safer than others, so ask your doctor. If you decide to use patches (which are not readily available in South Africa), remove them at night.
“Take a rain check on e-cigarettes: they’re still unregulated so there is no guarantee what kinds and quantities of chemicals they contain, or how these may affect your baby,“ says Dr Saloojee. “Cancer-causing compounds have been detected in some and most contain nicotine, an addictive substance.”
3. Counselling and therapy
Motivation from a doctor or support group (including online) can help you stay on track, or get a friend to buddy up. Some people say they’re helped by hypnotherapy and acupuncture, but there’s still little scientific evidence behind them.
You could choose a registered practitioner to assist you. “Contact the Health Professions Council (HPC) for a psychologist who offers smoking cessation therapy,” suggests Salojee. “A counseling psychologist can help you manage stress, and the thought and behaviour patterns that make quitting harder.”
“Success in stopping smoking depends on ‘want’ power rather than willpower,” he says. “If you really want to quit you can – and for what better reason than the health of your baby, yourself and your family?”
Staying quit after pregnancy is also very important. “Exposing a baby or under fives to secondhand smoke increase the risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, aka as cot deaths) and respiratory disease, and reduces lung growth,” he warns.
How you can quit smoking
For free help quitting smoking, contact the NCAS helpline on 011 720 3145.
Alternatively, consult your doctor for a prescription for medication you can get from your Clicks pharmacist.
How Clicks Clinics can help you quit smoking
Clicks has launched stop-smoking service, Go Smoke Free, at selected Clicks clinics.
IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com