If you are in danger, call 911. If you need to exit this website quickly, click on the ESCAPE button. This button will immediately open a browser window for weather.com and replace your current window with google.com.
Skip to agency navigation
Skip to main content

Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Quitting Tobacco Resources for Pregnancy/Post-Partum

    When you are pregnant, you want the best for your baby.  When you stop smoking, your baby will get more oxygen, even after just one day of not smoking.  There is less risk your baby will be born too early.

    1-800-QUIT-NOW  

    One third of callers to the PA Free Quitline quit and stay quit. Get up to nine free, personalized coaching sessions when you call the PA Free Quitline, with rewards for each completed session. Get free nicotine replacement therapy (patch, gum, lozenges), if available. Want to find out more?  Click here for details.

    Visit pa.quitlogix.org or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to enroll in the free program.

    Smoking During Pregnancy

    • Smoking reduces a woman's chances of getting pregnant.
    • Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for pregnancy complications.
    • Tobacco smoke harms babies before and after they are born.
    • One in every five babies born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy has low birth weight. Mothers who are exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant are more likely to have lower birth weight babies. Babies born too small or too early are not as healthy. 
    • Quitting smoking during pregnancy may increase the chances of a healthy birth weight. 

    Find out more about how smoking can affect you and your baby.

    Amanda's Story

    Amanda smoked during pregnancy. Her baby was born 2 months early.  Contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health at RA-DHPAFreeQuitline@pa.gov to order free Quitline materials featuring Amanda's story

    References

    1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: What It Means to You(https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2010/consumer_booklet/index.htm). Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2010 [accessed 2012 May 10].
    2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A Report of the Surgeon General: Highlights: Overview of Finding Regarding Reproductive Health(https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2010/highlight_sheets/pdfs/overview_reproductive.pdf). [PDF–542 KB]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2010 [accessed 2012 May 10].
    3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General: Secondhand Smoke: What It Means To You(https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2006/consumer_summary/index.htm). Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [accessed 2012 May 10].
    4. Ma ZQ, Fisher MA (2016) Effect of Smoking Reduction on Birth Weight: Benefits of Temporarily Quitting Smoking and Smoking Less. Arch Prev Med 1(1): 008-014. https://www.peertechz.com/abstracts/effect-of-smoking-reduction-on-birth-weight-benefits-of-temporarily-quitting-smoking-and-smoking-less