Female smokers who continue to light up even after they are pregnant are putting their unborn children in a lot of danger.
The baby's health will no doubt be seriously affected by this bad habit and the baby could even die as a result of being exposed to too much poisonous substances.
These poisonous substances include nicotine and carbon monoxide, present in all cigarettes which cause a lot of damage to the body.
High levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine in a woman's bloodstream during pregnancy causes the mother's blood vessels to become constricted and this reduces the supply of life-giving oxygen and nutrients to the baby.
Without much oxygen and nutrients, the growth of the baby is seriously affected.
The baby ends up being born prematurely so it is small and underweight.
When babies are born prematurely, they are very weak and they need constant medical care and supervision, which means they have to stay longer in the hospital.
Other dangerous effects of smoking are miscarriages and fetal brain damage.
Smoking can also lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The baby's risk of getting SIDS increases with each additional smoker in the household, with the number of cigarettes smoked a day and with the length of exposure to cigarette smoke.
The airways of the baby are smaller and cigarette smoke will make them vulnerable to breathing problems after birth.
Smoking during pregnancy also retards a child's learning ability and can cause attention deficit disorder.
The child can also develop serious respiratory problems like asthma which can also contribute to sleeping problems.
It is important that all expectant mothers act responsibly to the life of their unborn babies.
Always keep your home and your baby's