How Tobacco Exposure Causes Problem in Developing Placenta?
Listed are the ways tobacco causes complications to placenta: • Effect of Nicotine in Tobacco: Nicotine, the natural ingredient in tobacco causes spasms in arteries including those which are responsible for supplying blood to the placenta. Arterial spasm reduces the supply of oxygen and much needed nourishments to the placenta. This can result in underweight babies. • Effect of Carbon monoxide on Placenta: During smoking, oxygen is slowly replaced by carbon monoxide in the blood. Placenta growing inside the womb might try to compensate this oxygen loss by producing extra red blood cells. This can make the blood become thicker and cut off the supply of blood to the vital organs of the baby, thereby resulting in neonatal death. • Long Term Effects of Tobacco on the Baby: During late stage of pregnancy, nicotine exposure can cause damage to baby’s rapidly developing nerve cells. Laboratory studies on animals have shown that even small dose of nicotine exposure during pregnancy result in p
