When you are thinking about getting pregnant or you know that you are pregnant, it is a good opportunity to make healthy lifestyle changes to put you in the best possible health to prepare for pregnancy.

Smoking is known to be harmful to you and your baby. Each time you smoke harmful chemicals are absorbed into your blood stream. These chemicals cross into your unborn baby’s blood stream through the placenta and reduces their oxygen levels and increase their heart beat. 

Smoking can cause harm to your unborn baby

Smoking during pregnancy can cause harm to your unborn baby and can affect their growth and development. It can increase the risk of pregnancy related complications, premature birth, low birth weight, still birth, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and increase your child’s risk of developing asthma later in life. 

Get support to quit smoking

Stopping smoking will immediately improve your own health and that of your unborn baby. Please do not worry about quitting smoking, because stopping at any stage of your pregnancy will be beneficial for both of you.

If you would like support for advice please talk to your GP, midwife, Health Visitor or pharmacist and they will be able to make a referral to Live Life Better Derbyshire for specialist support.
 

There is a lot of confusing advice about drinking alcohol during pregnancy. The safest way to protect your unborn baby is not to drink alcohol at all during your pregnancy as there are no known safe levels. 

What happens when you drink alcohol?

When you drink alcohol during your pregnancy the alcohol passes from your bloodstream through the placenta directly into your baby’s blood stream. 

Drinking alcohol at any stage of your pregnancy can cause harm to your baby. Alcohol intake during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, still birth, premature birth, low birth weight and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The more you drink the higher the risk this presents to your unborn child.

If you would like support for advice please talk to your GP, midwife, Health Visitor or pharmacist.

If you use illegal drugs it is advisable to address this now so that you can reduce the risks to your unborn baby. 

What happens when you take illegal drugs when pregnant?

Illegal drug use during pregnancy can cause harm to your unborn baby and affect their developing organs and limbs. Taking drugs during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, still birth, premature birth and low birth weight.

Get support to stop taking drugs safely

Specialist help and support can be accessed by talking to your GP or midwife. Stopping illegal drug use abruptly without specialist support can be dangerous for yourself and your baby. 

For friendly, confidential advice about drugs and information about available help talk to Frank.