Tobacco smoking in women with the special regard of the pregnancy

Abstract

Cigarettes are known in Europe from XV age. Almost 38 percent adult men smokes and 23 percent adult women in Poland at present. Smoking of women increases quantity gradually on the breakthrough of years unfortunately. Cigarette smoking is known to be responsible for the death of over 0.5 million women each year and is the most important preventable or avoidable cause of premature female death. Several gynecological and obstetric problems such as cervical cancer, abortions, ante-partum hemorrhages and low birth weight are much more common among smoking females. Women smoke from different incentives than men. This paper was introduced negative influence of women smoking, especially in pregnant women. Active and passive smoking during pregnancy is an important health problem. The majority of pregnant smoker women continue smoking during pregnancy. The association between maternal smoking and retarded maternal condition and birth outcome is well know. Smoking during pregnancy increases risk of spontaneous abortion, placenta previa, abruptio placenta, preterm premature rupture of membranes, stillbirth, preterm delivery and sudden infant death syndrome. The recently conducted studies also indicate that prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke is a risk factor for respiratory infections, asthma, allergy, childhood cancer. The problem of cigarettes concerns not only women in the pregnancy, but also feedings because many toxins coming from cigarettes to milk. It is important that pregnant women are warned of the detrimental effects of smoking, and encouraged to abstain for healthy fetal development.