Persuasive Essay Essay At least 11% of women smoke during pregnancy. Many of these women smoke without knowing the significant negative effects smoking has on their babies before, during, and after the pregnancy. When a woman smokes during pregnancy, she exposes her baby to dangerous chemicals such as tar, carbon monoxide, nicotine, and other poisonous chemicals that travels through the bloodstream and goes directly to the baby. Nicotine restricts the oxygen through the blood vessels throughout the body, including those leading to the umbilical cord. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes. Among these chemicals, there are life-threatening issues that can happen while smoking during a woman’s pregnancy and after the babies are born. Smoking while pregnant has many lasting effects on the mother as well as the child? On average, a smoker who smokes a pack a day will reduce about half a pound of baby weight. Stunning a baby’s growth while in the womb can have negative consequences that last a lifetime.
