Women and Smoking

 

Cigarette smoking is harmful to everyone but if you are a woman here are some additional facts and concerns.

  • 90% of all lung cancer deaths among women can be linked to smoking.
  • Women who smoke have an increased incidence of cancer of the bladder, pancreas, kidney, liver and colon.
  • Smoking is a major cause of heart disease in women. Heart disease remains the #1 killer of women, 75% of those women were smokers.
  • Smoking by girls reduces lung growth and function.
  • Women smokers have earlier menopause with symptoms that are more severe the women who don’t smoke.
  • Increased risk of infertility.
  • Smoking in women increases your risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

motherSmoking and Pregnancy

Women that quit smoking before or when they become pregnant will have less risk of:

  • Miscarriage
  • Preterm delivery
  • Premature rupture of membranes
  • Stillbirth
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Learning disabilities in the child as they grow especially in math and reading.
  • Having a child that will become a smoker when they are in their teenage years.

Second Hand Smoke and Children

Exposure to secondhand smoke has a negative effect on children from infancy to Adolescence.

Some of these effects are:

  • Increase of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS)
  • Respiratory infections
  • Asthma
  • Bronchitis
  • Ear Infections
  • Risk that they will become smokers