Women who smoke during the pregnancy have three times the odds of having a baby with low birth weight ( London, 2008).

Babies are considered as low birth weight when born less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Serious medical conditions, such as respiratory distress syndrome, are common among those babies.

Low birth weight also increases the risk for some chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart diseases, in the adulthood. To learn more about low birth wight visit March of Dimes.

Refernce: S London.  (2008). Associations Between Smoking, Poor Pregnancy Outcomes Are Cumulative. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 40(4), 238-9.