Common Questions: For Women

 

1. Does it matter when a woman quits using tobacco during her pregnancy?
2. How about cutting down on cigarettes rather than quitting for good?
3. Will a woman gain extra weight if she quits using tobacco during pregnancy?
4. Does quitting using tobacco provide benefits for the woman as well as for her baby?
5. If a woman quits using tobacco during pregnancy, will she have a hard time with stress?
6. Is it alright to go back to using tobacco after the baby is born?
7. Will depression and/or anxiety get worse if a woman tries to quit using tobacco? ​

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1. Does it matter when a woman quits using tobacco during her pregnancy?

A: The best time to quit using tobacco is before the woman is pregnant, but quitting in the first three or four months of pregnancy can lower the chance of health problems for her baby.

​Even if a woman quits at the end of her pregnancy, it helps her and her baby. It is never too late to quit or reduce using tobacco. Please read our page on smoking after giving bir​th​​​ to learn more.  

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2. How about cutting down on cigarettes rather than quitting for good?

A: Reducing the number of cigarettes smoked per day is a great accomplishment. If quitting is your goal, you should continue to focus on what has motivated you to reduce your smoking so you can keep going until you have quit.  If a pregnant woman cuts down or changes to low-tar cigarettes, she must be careful not to breathe in more deeply or take more puffs to get the same amount of nicotine as before.

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3. Will a woman gain extra weight if she quits smoking during pregnancy?

A: Every woman's body is different. Gaining weight during pregnancy is healthy and necessary. Before, during and after pregnancy, a woman can keep a healthy body weight by eating healthy food, exercising and reducing or quitting using tobacco.  Doctors, nurses, midwives and doulas can help women plan how to eat well and keep active. To learn more, read our pages on exercis​e and nutritio​n. 

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4. Does quitting using tobacco provide benefits for the woman as well as for her baby?

A: Pregnancy is a great time for a woman to quit or reduce tobacco use. No matter how long she has been using tobacco, her body benefits from not using tobacco. To learn more, read about the benefits of reducing or quitting your use of tobacco​.

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5. If a woman quits using tobacco during pregnancy, will she have a hard time with stress?
A: Cigarettes may seem like a good way to lower stress, but in fact, smoking can add to it. Research shows that stress levels go down once people quit. It is important for a woman who is quitting or reducing smoking to find other ways to relax and lower stress. Learn more about how stress plays a role when reducing or quitting using tobacco and during pregnancy.

Here are some other ways to manage stress before, during and after pregnancy:

• Exercise or go for walks
• Breathing exercises
• Meditation
• Listen to relaxing music
• Drink water
• Call a friend
• Plan breaks or "me time" 

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​​6. Is it alright to go back to using tobacco after the baby is born?
A: Secondhand smoke, even for a short time, may cause eye, nose and throat irritation. Depending on the amount of secondhand smoke, it might be the same as smoking 1 to 10 cigarettes a day. To learn more about secondhand smoke, cl​ick here​. Also, chemicals in tobacco can pass through breast milk, which can impact your baby.

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7. Will depression and/or anxiety get worse if a woman tries to quit smoking?
A: About 40 - 60% of people with anxiety or depression use tobacco. Research shows that nicotine may make anxiety worse. In fact, people who have anxiety say they feel better within two weeks of quitting or reducing their use of tobacco.
 
Depression is more complicated. There is evidence that shows some people use tobacco as a way to help their depression while others find that using tobacco makes their depression worse. On the other hand, some individuals find that their depression gets worse when they quit using tobacco​.
 
Pregnancy and the time after giving birth can be a time when depression and anxiety really affect a woman. If depression or anxiety is a problem, it is a good idea to talk about it with your doctor, nurse, midwife or doula.

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