No smoking or drinking at all throughout pregnancy — and no one else in the house should smoke either

Smoking during pregnancy raises the chances of premature birth, a baby being born underweight, and cleft lip or palate. It also doubles the risk of abnormal bleeding during pregnancy and childbirth, and increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Secondhand smoke from anyone smoking indoors counts just the same. It is never too late to quit, no matter when you start.

There’s no cost at all; in fact, it saves money on cigarettes and alcohol. The real challenge is getting everyone living in the same house to quit alongside the pregnant woman.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking during pregnancy can result in babies being “born at full term but still underweight” and “more likely to be born prematurely.” It “doubles the risk of abnormal bleeding during pregnancy and childbirth,” raises the risk of birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, and “damages the developing lungs and brain of the fetus, with effects lasting into childhood.” Babies born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy, as well as infants exposed to smoke after birth, face a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Official guidance states that “it is best to quit smoking before getting pregnant, but quitting while already pregnant still provides benefits,” and “it is never too late to quit.”

Secondhand smoke from anyone smoking indoors is just as harmful to the fetus as direct smoking. Therefore, this rule applies to the whole household, not just the pregnant woman. The same principle holds true for alcohol: there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, so the safest approach is to avoid it entirely. The impact of smoking and drinking on the health of adults themselves is covered in Section 2.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking During Pregnancy. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/pregnancy.html；Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Alcohol Use During Pregnancy. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol-pregnancy/about/index.html