Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant or who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth have weaker lungs than other babies, which increases the risk for many health problems. Secondhand smoke exposure causes acute lower respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia in infants and young children.

How does smoking affect a newborn baby?

Smoking raises your baby's risk for birth defects, including cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. A cleft is an opening in your baby's lip or in the roof of her mouth (palate). He or she can have trouble eating properly and is likely to need surgery.

How does smoking affect the fetal growth and development of a baby?

In addition to uterine bleeding, preterm delivery and increased mortality, smoking has other marked effects on fetal growth. Most notably, it has been associated with reductions in birthweight and an increased incidence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).