What pregnant woman anxiously expecting the birth of her baby would want to purposefully harm that baby? Almost none. And here’s a way to improve the mother and the baby’s health.

All the expectations, hopes, and dreams of the coming birth of a little baby can come crashing down when late in the pregnancy the baby stops kicking and moving.

The mother knows something is wrong and a doctor’s exam quickly confirms the baby has died in the womb.

It’s called a stillbirth, and it’s devastating, something no mother ever wants to experience.

A new study helps us understand a preventable cause – smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

This study suggests that dual exposure to drinking and smoking after the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with nearly 3 times the risk of stillbirth.

Other studies have shown that smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy, especially after the first trimester once you know you’re pregnant, are associated with early pregnancy loss, delivering a small-for-gestational-age baby, and even SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome.

To these horrible outcomes, we can now add stillbirth.

If you’re pregnant, don’t smoke or drink, for you and your baby’s health.

© Copyright WLL, INC. 2021. This blog provides a wide variety of general health information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from your regular physician. If you are concerned about your health, take what you learn from this blog and meet with your personal doctor to discuss your concerns.