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PHONE HOTLINE: 1.866.SD-QUITS
PHONE HOTLINE: 1.866.SD-QUITS
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Quit Today

South Dakota QuitLine is a FREE resource available to any state resident 13 or older. Choose from three ways to leave smoking, vaping or chewing in the past. Quit, stay quit and breathe easy.

Quit Today
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TRIBAL TOBACCO ADVOCACY TOOLKIT

The purpose of the Toolkit is to support tribes and tribal allies with a framework for public health

Access Advocacy Toolkit
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Youth & Young Adults

Children and young adults are especially vulnerable to loss of brain function as a result of vaping.
Even using e-cigarette devices without nicotine can cause damage. To protect your physical and mental health, it's time to quit.

Young Adults
Middle School
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More Good years

Quitting is the difference between quality time with your family and missing out to catch your breath. Enjoy your years really living. Leave tobacco in the past, and live more good years.

Learn More
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Control Tobacco

Access tools for educators, coalitions and more. Explore our media library, order educational or advocacy supplies and more.

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Smoking Effects On Baby

Smoking when you are pregnant or postpartum can lead to serious health problems for you and your baby.

Effects on Mother & Baby

Using tobacco while pregnant or postpartum can lead to both short-term and long-term health problems or even death in some cases. Whether you smoke, vape or chew smokeless tobacco products, you are putting more than just yourself at risk — your new baby and your other children are also exposed to these dangers.

Quitting is the best thing you can do to ensure that your pregnancy goes as well as possible for both you and the baby.

Parental Tobacco Use

EFFECTS ON THE MOTHER

Protect your growing family, and avoid nicotine during and after pregnancy. According to the CDC, when pregnant women use tobacco, they can:

  • Have decreased energy.
  • Struggle to breathe.
  • Experience more fertility issues.
  • Have a higher likelihood of miscarriage.
  • Have a higher risk of delivering early.
  • Be susceptible to the placenta separating from the womb early and causing dangerous bleeding.
Parental Tobacco Use

Effects on the Baby

Developing fetuses are especially vulnerable to the dangerous effects of nicotine. According to the CDC, if tobacco is used during the pregnancy, the baby can:

Parental Tobacco Use

EFFECTS ON THE BABY

Developing fetuses are especially vulnerable to the dangerous effects of nicotine. If tobacco is used during the pregnancy, the baby:

  • Is exposed to harmful chemicals like carcinogens, flavorings that cause lung disease and heavy metals.
  • Has a limited oxygen supply.
  • Has a limited nutrient supply.
  • Experiences irreversible damage to its developing brain and other essential organs.
  • Is more vulnerable to birth defects.
  • Is more likely to be born prematurely and/or underweight.
  • Has a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

 
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Be exposed to
harmful chemicals
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Have a limited
oxygen supply
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Have a limited
nutrient supply
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experience damage to its brain and other organs
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Be more vulnerable to birth defects
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Be more likely to be born prematurely
7
Have a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
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be more likely to be born underweight

Following childbirth, infants and children are susceptible to secondhand and thirdhand smoke. Smoking or vaping around children can expose them to the same harmful chemicals that the smoker inhales in the air, secondhand. These chemicals then settle onto surfaces and items, exposing children to thirdhand smoke, which is still harmful.

Remain smoke-free, and ensure your family and friends keep their tobacco habits away from your kids.

Learn More About Secondhand and Thirdhand Smoke

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Tip: If you are a smoker, make sure to smoke outside and far away from your children.
Stay Tobacco-Free for a Healthy Baby

Further Complications

Using tobacco can lead to so many more pregnancy complications. According to Smokefree Women, you could experience the following.

Miscarriage & Ectopic Pregnancy

If you use tobacco during pregnancy, it increases the risk of unexpected pregnancy loss, which can be devastating for expecting parents. It also increases the risk of the fertilized egg implanting outside of the uterus, which is incredibly dangerous for both the mother and the baby. This is known as an ectopic pregnancy and usually results in a miscarriage
Placenta Complications

When an expectant mother uses tobacco, her placenta is at higher risk of several possible complications.

For some, placental abruption occurs, which is when the placenta detaches from the uterus too early — this causes internal bleeding for the mother and can lead to the baby having a lack of oxygen and nutrients.

For others, placenta previa occurs, which is when the placenta migrates and covers the mother’s cervix — this causes severe bleeding during pregnancy and birth.
Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia occurs when a pregnant mother has high blood pressure with swollen limbs. This can cause placental abruption, premature birth and other complications.