Getting the good news that you’re going to have a baby can inspire you to make many healthy choices. You might improve your diet, try to get more sleep, and most importantly quit smoking.
But smoking is a hard habit to quit and you may want some support to do so. Products such as nicotine replacement and prescription medications can be appealing, but are they safe for your growing baby?
One thing is for sure: smoking delivers nicotine and many other toxins to your body which can affect your baby in negative ways. So this is an important time to consider all of your options.
Nicotine replacement such as patches and gums can be helpful in reducing your dependence on cigarettes. Most healthcare providers feel that cigarettes are more dangerous than nicotine replacement products for pregnant women. So if you’re not able to quit cold turkey, these products can be helpful.
With prescription medications, there are very few studies that actually show the effects of the medications on pregnant women and their babies. The drug Bupropion, also known as Zyban, is one that is frequently recommended to help smokers quit.
Overall, it’s considered fairly safe but it may not be safe for women who have other health risks in addition to pregnancy.
Chantix is another drug used to help people stop smoking. Chantix has not been studied at all in pregnant women and hasn’t been on the market for very long. People in good health often have strong side effects from this drug and it’s not recommended for pregnant women at this time.
Overall, the best thing you can do if you?re pregnant is use methods to quit such as going cold turkey or weaning yourself off of cigarettes. These methods are free and will help you to prevent birth defects related to smoking.
If you’re pregnant and a smoker, it’s always a good idea to talk with your doctor about your best options. There are often other health factors to consider such as blood pressure and heart disease.
Even though nicotine replacement is available without a prescription, you should still check with your doctor about using this while pregnant to determine the proper dose and length of time to use it. When it comes to prescription medications, you’ll need to see your doctor to even get access to these drugs.
