X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parenting & Play by Friso
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-schooler
    • Kids
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • Money Parenting
    • Tips for Parents
    • Tips for Toddlers
    • Tips for Older Kids
    • The 5 Personas
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

In Australia pregnant teens smoke on purpose to have smaller babies during labor

3 min read
In Australia pregnant teens smoke on purpose to have smaller babies during laborIn Australia pregnant teens smoke on purpose to have smaller babies during labor

Pregnant teenagers in Australia have taken to a new and dangerous trend that they believe would make childbirth easier: smoking.

Everyone knows that pregnancy is not easy. The changes in a woman’s body abound, both physically and emotionally, internally and externally.

Their bodies swell. Their internal organs get pushed around. They experience mood swings, morning sickness, and on top of that there is also the fear and anxiety about childbirth.

It can intimidate even the most seasoned of mothers.

Now imagine underprepared, uninformed teenagers going through the same experience. The picture doesn’t look pretty.

It’s scary.

According to a Daily Telegraph report, pregnant teenagers in Australia have taken to a new and dangerous trend that they believe would make childbirth easier.

Smoking.

Pregnant teens smoke on purpose

By smoking during their pregnancy, they believe that they’re making their babies smaller by reducing their birthweight. They expect this to reduce the pain they would have to endure later during labor.

They don’t care that they’re damaging the health of their unborn baby; all they want is to experience less pain.

"They had read on packets that smoking can reduce the birth weight of your baby, which is obviously not how the public health message is intended to be taken,” Simone Dennis of the Australian National University told the New Zealand Herald.

He added:

“The worst thing that could happen to them was to have an enormous baby. Some were young, 16 or 17 years, and their overriding fear was 'Oh my God, I'm going to have an enormous child,’ so they were actively using cigarettes to medicate against that. “Some had even taken it up for the first time for that very reason, and some smoked harder, hoping the promise on the packet would come true. If you smoked more, you could make it better. “I was really struck by that.”

Because the warning on the cigarette packs say that smoking can result in the reduction of the child's birth weight, pregnant teens don’t see the warning for what it is.

Instead, they see it as a means to experience an easier pregnancy, said The Independent.

Experts universally agree that smoking, whether during pregnancy or not, is one of the most dangerous things you can do to your body.

Smoking while pregnant causes low birth weight, higher incidence of SIDS, and birth defects. And even if you do not smoke cigarettes, inhalation of second hand smoke is equally dangerous.

In children exposure to secondhand smoke increases a risk for problems, from asthma and SIDS to poor cognitive function and obesity. It's sad and alarming how these teenagers ignore all these things in exchange for something they do not completely comprehend.

 

Republished with permission from: theAsianparent Philippines

Partner Stories
Welcoming a Newborn 101: 4 Handy Tips that All New Dads Should Know
Welcoming a Newborn 101: 4 Handy Tips that All New Dads Should Know
Conceiving In The New Normal: Your Ultimate Guide To Successful Pregnancy
Conceiving In The New Normal: Your Ultimate Guide To Successful Pregnancy
3 things you should do now if you’re trying to conceive naturally
3 things you should do now if you’re trying to conceive naturally
Reducing The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: What You Should Know
Reducing The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: What You Should Know

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

ddc-calendar
Get ready for the baby’s arrival by adding your due date.
OR
Calculate your due date
img
Written by

James Martinez

  • Home
  • /
  • Pregnancy
  • /
  • In Australia pregnant teens smoke on purpose to have smaller babies during labor
Share:
  • Expert Q&A: The Risks of Smoking in Pregnancy

    Expert Q&A: The Risks of Smoking in Pregnancy

  • No butts about smoking once you know you're pregnant

    No butts about smoking once you know you're pregnant

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

app info
get app banner
  • Expert Q&A: The Risks of Smoking in Pregnancy

    Expert Q&A: The Risks of Smoking in Pregnancy

  • No butts about smoking once you know you're pregnant

    No butts about smoking once you know you're pregnant

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2022. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on pregnancy.