Smoking Facts and Infants

According to the American Cancer Society, around 5 percent of infant fatalities could be prevented if women did not smoke during pregnancy. Infants exposed to tobacco smoke have smaller lungs and more ear infections than those not exposed.

Secondhand Smoke

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infants exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are twice as likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome. The risk is three to four times higher for infants whose mothers smoke during and after pregnancy.

Thirdhand Smoke

• Thirdhand smoke is the contamination tobacco leaves after a cigarette has been extinguished. Smoke residuals that linger in furniture, clothing and hair are health hazards to infants. Thirdhand smoke is attributed to asthma, heart disease and other smoking related illnesses in infants.

Other Hazards

• The American Cancer Society reports that mothers who smoke during pregnancy have smaller babies. Chemicals in tobacco can be passed to an infant through breastfeeding. In fact, infants' breastfed by mothers who smoke sleep a half-hour less than infants with non-smoking mothers.

Precautions

• Eliminating all smoking inside the home is the only way to protect your infant. Smoking in another room and using air filtration or ventilating systems will not protect your infant from secondhand smoke.