IndexIntroductionWomen smoking during pregnancyOverviewMythsFactsRole of midwifery nursesEffects of women smoking during pregnancyOverviewEffects on child growthLong-term effects on growthEffects on cognitive functionEffects on activity, attention and impulsivityBehavioral and psychological effects150Limit women who smoke during pregnancy PregnancyConclusionIntroductionWomen smoke during pregnancy since the invention of cigarettes in the world. This habit has reached such levels that it is rare to find a woman who does not take a puff of a cigarette. Tobacco use during pregnancy is known to have adverse and fatal effects on the fetus in terms of growth, development and behavior. It is imperative that pregnant mothers are enlightened about the negative aspects their indulgence has on their unborn children (Baghurst, Tong, Woodward, & McMichael, 2012, pp. 403-415). In this regard, it is pertinent for scholars, researchers and practitioners to identify the common characteristics that make tobacco use dominant among pregnant women. It is significant that pregnant women are informed about the correlation between smoking and serious medical conditions such as cancer, heart disease and lung disorders. The aim of this essay is to analyze the effects of smoking on women and their babies during pregnancy in England. To achieve this insurmountable task, the paper thoroughly analyzes women's smoking habit during pregnancy in terms of general trend and common behavioral traits. Secondly, the article discusses the common myths that have been spread by society regarding smoking by pregnant women. Third, the paper highlights the real facts about smoking during pregnancy by analyzing data from different sources so as to get a clear picture of events on the ground. Furthermore, it describes the role of midwives in ensuring that pregnant women reduce smoking during pregnancy and stop smoking altogether. This article also discusses the detrimental effects of smoking on pregnant women and their babies. Finally, the paper illustrates possible mechanisms that can be adopted to mitigate this behavior among pregnant women. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayWomen Smoking During PregnancyOverviewThis trend has worsened as the number of women involved in this heinous and uncalled for behavior has increased. Researchers and practitioners have stated that smoking during pregnancy causes birth outcomes that are unpleasant for the mother and baby (Brook, Brook, & Whiteman, 2000, p. 381). Examples of these frightening effects include mothers giving birth before their due date, babies being born weighing less than the required minimum, and babies being stillborn. There is much evidence linking smoking during pregnancy and the adverse outcomes represented by the children born (Day et al., 2012, pp. 407-414). These effects arise from the fact that smoking causes abnormal growth and maturation in children. Any level of tobacco smoking has been found to be harmful to the parents and the child. However, smoking intensity is considered high due to the number of cigarettes smoked in a single day (Wayne, 2014, pp. 13-26). This has been shown to have devastating and deleterious impacts on the fetus compared to smoking which is light in nature. There is a wealth of evidence linking maternal smoking and adverse outcomes experienced by the fetus and child. For example, it has been observed that smoking among pregnant women leads to a predisposition to the development of other behaviorsrisk. For example, women who smoke during pregnancy risk dying during childbirth and developing placental complications (Fox, Sexton, & Hebel, 2010, pp. 66-71). Women's smoking behavior during pregnancy is considered one of the highly modifiable risk factors and associated with poor outcomes for women and their children. This is why stakeholders have developed a number of strategies that help pregnant women quit smoking during the gestation period (Wayne, 2014, pp. 13-26). Myths There are several myths about women who smoke during pregnancy, such as healthy delivery of newborns, small children are cute, addiction, source of relaxation, cause of stress for the baby, good for pregnancy, cold is the only way out and there is no need to breastfeed (Fergusson, Woodward, & Horwood, 2014, p. Women continue to smoke during pregnancy because they have already given birth to healthy, vibrant babies. They develop a loss of hope that pregnancy is safe and that the children are healthy. This is not true since the probability of giving birth to a healthy child while smoking does not depend only on behavior (Owen, McNeill and Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). who smoke do not worry about the prospect of giving birth to young children, which is contrary to medical evidence demonstrating the enormous and arduous health complications associated with these types of children (Griesler, Kandel, & Davies, 2008, pp. 159-185). It is important to understand that these effects appear at any time in life and are very negative in nature. Furthermore, pregnant women are convinced that it is difficult to quit smoking during pregnancy due to the persistence of the habit. Others believe that smoking is the main source of relaxation on their part and also benefits unborn children (Owen, McNeill, & Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). Pregnant women perceive that their babies would be full of stress if they quit smoking during the gestation period. This is fallacious because continuing to smoke during pregnancy increases the extent of negative effects on the fetus (Jacobson, Jacobson, & Sokol, 2014, pp. 317-323). Furthermore, pregnant women believe that smoking tobacco is harmless and positive. This perception is misleading as scientists have shown that any threshold of smoking is harmful and deleterious to unborn children (Owen, McNeill, & Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). Facts Various data sources show how this event has trended over the years. years. Women smoking in England stood at 10.5% in 2016 compared to 11.2% in 2015. It is important to note that this rate is well below the national target of 11% (Kandel, Wu and Davies, 2014, pp 1407-1413). There are telling disparities between NHS regions in England when it comes to smoking among pregnant women. For example, Cumbria records high rates of 16.1%, while London sees 4.8%. Similarly, NHS Blackpool has recorded prevalence at 25.0% whilst NHS Central London has a rate of 1.3% (Oncken, 2012, pp. 846-847). The information extracted from maternities across the country comes from different experiences. For example, there are maternities that do not have any database on smoking status, equal to 2.6%. However, this is a notable improvement compared to 3.0% in 2015 and a further 3.2% in 2016 (Kristjansson, Fried, & Watkinson, 2009, pp. 11-19). It is important to note that the percentage of women who smoke at the time of delivery should be clearly indicated so as to avoid confusion arising from strangers who are usually considered non-smokers. This means that if the number of maternities with zero values ​​of pregnant smokers were excluded from the calculation, the prevalence rate would stand atwhopping 12% (Oncken, 2012, pp. 846-847). Role of Nurse Midwives Midwives have critical roles to play in ensuring that pregnant women quit or reduce their smoking rate so as to avoid the serious and fatal consequences that are inevitable. These include identifying victims, encouraging them to stop using cigarettes and supporting them where necessary. Smoking cessation is aimed at recognizing the presence of good smokers among pregnant women so that appropriate corrective actions can be taken (Owen, McNeill and Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). It is important for nurses to note that nearly 75% of pregnant smokers have an innate desire to quit this deleterious behavior. Most pregnant smokers have attempted to quit smoking on several occasions, but their efforts have been futile. The most interesting aspect is that more than 90 percent of pregnant smokers abandon this habit without external intervention (England, 2010, pp. 694-701). In this regard, nurses have above mentioned special roles to play in helping people under 10 years old. percentage of pregnant smokers to stop this trend. On a positive note, nurses should appreciate that pregnant smokers are willing and able to listen to them to stop this negative behavior. In this context, nurses should use their professional ingenuity and discretion to begin the process of quitting this fatal habit (Owen, McNeill, & Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). Pregnant smokers expect nurses to be friendly during the process through open discussions of a confidential nature. It is the nurses' job to ensure that pregnant smokers stop smoking in order to avoid the negative effects (England, 2010, pp. 694-701). There are several types of interventions that nurses can undertake to help pregnant women quit smoking. These include meetings, written materials, support person, telephone contact, substitution therapies, audio and video tapes, computer programs, referrals and home visits. Nurses can organize a program of meetings with interested women to begin the smoking cessation process (Owen, McNeill and Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). Meetings can vary in length and intended purposes, such as motivational interviews, discussions about barriers to quitting, and information about the risks associated with smoking during pregnancy. Nurses can talk about past professional cases, counsel pregnant smokers, and engage in role-playing so as to reduce any negative feelings and symptoms that lead to depression. The number of interviews may vary depending on the degree of smoking among pregnant women (England, 2010, pp. 694-701). Nurses have the opportunity to use written materials about smoking during pregnancy to help pregnant smokers overcome this habit. It is important to note that written materials have proven useful in reducing the denigrating effects of this behavior. There are different types of written materials such as books, journals, magazines, journals, pamphlets, handouts, and pamphlets, among others (Owen, McNeill, & Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). These should be distributed to both pregnant smokers and non-smokers whenever they attend clinics. Likewise, pregnant women of both statuses have the prerogative to take deliberate steps to follow the outlined guidelines on quitting smoking. These women should be provided with information packs containing summary details of the risks associated with smoking during pregnancy and the potential benefits of quitting smoking (England,2010, pp. 694-701). The inclusion of support people was found to be helpful for nurses to achieve the intended goals and objectives of the quitting program. These people can be your spouse, significant others, other pregnant smokers, friends, or collateral people. In this strategy, various activities such as developing a pregnancy scrapbook, peer support meetings, and motivational interviewing are performed (Owen, McNeill, & Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). The main assumption of this method is based on the fact that the social system of pregnant smokers and the people around them determine the ability of womenwomen to quit smoking. Telephone contact is conducted by nurses with pregnant smokers on a regular basis, for example weekly, fortnightly or bimonthly until the behavior is stopped. Nurses are supposed to use these calls to encourage pregnant smokers to quit smoking and to check on the women's personal progress (England, 2010, pp. 694-701). There are four clear steps that nurses should follow when undertaking the process of quitting smoking. First, precontemplation implies that nurses and pregnant smokers talk freely about the problem without involving it in serious issues. In these sessions, nurses allow pregnant smokers to talk about their personal experiences and escapades. On the other hand, nurses can talk about professional referrals that can help them stop this behavior (Owen, McNeill, & Callum, 2008, pp. 728-730). Second, the contemplation involves nurses and pregnant smokers discussing the advantages and disadvantages of abandoning the behavior. Last but not least, the action includes the implementation of agreed strategies to help reduce the frequency of smoking among pregnant women. Finally, maintenance is also referred to as relapse and involves abandoning the habit or returning to deviant behavior (England, 2010, pp. 694-701). Effects of Women Smoking During Pregnancy Overview There are various repercussions that arise from smoking during pregnancy. gestation period, and include stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, heart failure, brain, body, and lung functioning (Kristjansson, Fried, & Watkinson, 1989, pp. 11-19). It is important to note that the effects of smoking during pregnancy can be classified into broad categories such as effects on infant growth, long-term effects on growth, effects on cognitive function, effects on activity, attention and impulsivity, and behavioral and psychological effects. . These effects were analyzed based on the threshold and areas of impact on the unborn child (Cnattingius, 2004, pp. 125-140). Effects on the growth of the child The rate and process of growth of the child are affected when the mother smokes during pregnancy such that there is a direct correlation between increased smoking and reduced birth weight. In other words, the more cigarettes a pregnant woman smokes, the more weight her unborn baby will lose. It has been found that children born to smoking mothers weigh 150 to 250 grams less than those of non-smoking women. It is important to note that smoking affects children's growth at all levels during the gestation period (Eghbalieh, Crinella, Hunt, & Swanson, 2000, pp. 5-13). It has been reported that children exposed to smoking during pregnancy have lower fat-free mass relative to whole-body electrical conductivity. Exposure to tobacco during pregnancy leads babies to show reductions in birth weight and length, as well as girthof the head and chest. These effects are more elaborate and pronounced in adult smokers than in adolescent mothers (Cnattingius, 2004, pp. 125-140). Long-Term Effects on Growth It is prudent to state that the long-term effects of tobacco smoking during pregnancy are not well researched. Results from various sources indicate that children exposed to tobacco during pregnancy had substantial differences in head and chest circumferences. Similarly, exposed children tested lower than their unexposed peers (Makin, Fried, & Watkinson, 1991, pp. 5-12). However, height disparities have been reported to be reduced by birth weight. There is an inverse relationship between physical growth attributes and tobacco exposure during pregnancy. There is a positive correlation between ponderal index and maternal smoking if and only if birth weight and gestational age are controlled for. This means that children of smoking mothers have a higher weighting index than those of non-smoking mothers. It is essential to conclude deductively that exposure to tobacco during pregnancy has negative consequences on the physique of infants and children (Cnattingius, 2004, pp. 125-140). Effects on cognitive function Minimal exposure to tobacco during pregnancy influences the development of the central nervous system (CNS). For example, exposure to tobacco during pregnancy causes children to represent increased activities with locomotor aspects. Additionally, children's tendency to be hyperactive stems from early exposure to tobacco during pregnancy. Furthermore, children exposed to tobacco during pregnancy have been found to have a lower threshold turnover of chemicals in the brain. They also report fluctuations in hippocampal morphology (Eriksson, Ankarberg, & Fredriksson, 2000, pp. 41-48). There are inconsistent reports that have indicated central nervous system effects as outcomes of cognitive development and neural system behaviors. Children exposed to tobacco during pregnancy tend to show a tendency towards poorer hearing levels, reduced regulation of autonomy, tremors of increasing intensity and tremors. There is a high probability that children exposed to tobacco during pregnancy will develop muscle tone abnormalities (Cnattingius, 2004, pp. 125-140). Effects on activity, attention and impulsivity There is an increasing direct correlation between exposure to tobacco during pregnancy and increased levels of activity, lack of attention and impulsivity. Similarly, it has been reported that children exposed to tobacco by their mothers during pregnancy develop greater vulnerability to making errors such as omission and commission. There is a direct relationship between maternal smoking during gestation and the likelihood of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Ananth and Platt, 2004, pp. 12-19). Children exposed to tobacco during pregnancy are always prone to making errors of omission during tests such as continuous performance tests (CPTs). It is important to note that these children exposed to tobacco during pregnancy tend to reveal disparities in neuropsychological tests that aim to discern the ability to plan and coordinate fine motor skills (Cnattingius, 2004, pp. 125-140). Behavioral and Psychological Effects150The problems mentioned above are directly linked to prenatal exposure to tobacco in children. For example, prenatal exposure to tobacco has negative effects in ensuring that behaviors are externalized in terms of opposition, aggression, and overreaction. In this regard it can be noted that women who smoke during and afterpregnancy increase the risk of their children developing behavioral problems. In contrast, if mothers stop exposing children to tobacco after giving birth, serious behavioral deficiencies do not occur (Persson, Grennert, Gennser, & Kullander, 2013, pp. 33-39). This means that it is highly possible to find children exposed to tobacco during and after pregnancy who exhibit greater levels of negativity than their counterparts who are not exposed to tobacco after birth. Furthermore, children of smoking mothers are very likely to show tendencies towards dysfunction in terms of opposition, immaturity and aggression. If these children are observed until the puberty stage, they are likely to show discrepancies in conduct, substance abuse, and depression compared to children who have not been exposed to tobacco (Cnattingius, 2004, pp. 125-140). Reducing women's smoking during pregnancy Various measures can be implemented to overcome smoking addiction during pregnancy and are linked to individual initiatives. They include admitting the addiction, education, creating support groups, using resources and speakers. It is important to note that pregnant smokers face increasing cases of discrimination against them as they are considered deviant (Rebagliato, Florey, & Bolumar, 2015, pp. 531-537). In this regard, women smokers have difficulty opening up to doctors about their negative behavior. Most pregnant smokers do not disclose their condition to doctors and end up smoking. It is essential that victims understand that the cessation process begins with confessing the bad behavior and accepting change (Zuckerman, 2012, pp. 73-89). It is important that nurses and other social care organizations proactively engage in ensuring that pregnant smokers are informed about the importance of quitting smoking. In this regard, medical institutions and social organizations can organize awareness programs that will increase the level of awareness among pregnant smokers. In these programs it is essential to include tips on how to quit and tangible facts about smoking during pregnancy (Hanke, Sobala, & Kalinka, 2014, pp. 73-87). All stakeholders should engage in nationwide partnerships to help pregnant smokers quit smoking. They can produce written literature such as resignation phrases, specific brochures, printed posters and fact sheets. In this regard, pregnant smokers get access information that will help them avoid this dangerous behavior (Zuckerman, 2012, pp. 73-89). It is important for associated claimants to set up support groups called buddy systems. so that pregnant smokers stop smoking. It has been noted that pregnant smokers report receiving emotional and physical support from family members, peers, colleagues and neighbors. These collective actions are vital to ensure that all stakeholders provide the necessary support and give them the help needed to achieve the goal of quitting smoking (Zaren, Lindmark, & Bakketeig, 2000, pp. 118-126). It is important that various speakers are included in smoking cessation programs so that they can handle issues such as effects, facts and dispel persistent myths. These can be public health experts, pregnant smoking survivors, as well as action advocates with several case studies. This will ensure that the smoking cessation program has been fully implemented according to the stated needs and goals (Zuckerman, 2012, pp. 73-89). Different types of resources can be made available to pregnant smokers to assist in their efforts to achieve smoking cessation. These.