Pregnancy and the Impact of Smoking in Indigenous

Women who smoke during pregnancy can develop health problems for both mother and the baby including miscarriage, stillbirth, pre-term delivery, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The year ending 2015, around two in five (39%) First Nation children aged 0–3 years had a birth mother who smoked or chewed tobacco during their pregnancy.

If you can quit smoking before you get pregnant that is the best plan for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. Trying to reduce the number of cigarettes you have during your pregnancy does not eliminate the risks to you or your baby.

Quitting smoking is hard but you and baby will benefit by quitting smoking any time during your pregnancy, you and baby will benefit by getting more oxygen. The good news is it’s never too late to quit smoking.

Please visit the Australian Government Quitline site to download information on their “Quit for You, Quit for Two” app which will provide you support and the tools to help you quit smoking. You can also call the Quitline on 13 78 48.


Last modified: 9/1/60

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