Smoking and Nicotine Exposure in Pregnancy

Nicotine exposure in pregnancy is not limited to cigarettes. Vaping, smokeless tobacco, other nicotine products, and second-hand smoke all belong in the assessment, and none has a safe exposure threshold. The clinical model is straightforward: tobacco smoke can reduce oxygen delivery, nicotine can reduce uteroplacental blood flow, and both can impair placental function and fetal growth. That is why cessation support is an obstetric intervention, not merely a lifestyle discussion. Screen routinely at every prenatal and postpartum visit, then pair clear advice for complete cessation with practical behavioural support and follow-up. The effects below explain the pattern the nurse is looking for; the later sections turn that pattern into action.