The Effects of Nicotine on Newborns: 6 Potential Risks

Nicotine exposure during pregnancy doesn’t just affect you—it directly impacts your newborn in ways that could astonish you. From disrupted sleep patterns to weakened thyroid function, the risks are real and often overlooked. Tightened blood vessels can lead to low birth weight, while lung damage raises the chances of respiratory infections. And then there’s the chilling link to SIDS. Should you be curious about how these dangers unfold, the details ahead will give you clarity—and possibly a reason to rethink habits.

Altered Sleep and Wakefulness Patterns in Infants

Whenever moms smoke while breastfeeding, it doesn’t just affect them—it can mess with their baby’s sleep, too.

Nicotine exposure from maternal smoking alters sleep patterns in infants, making it harder for them to settle down or stay asleep. You may notice your little one waking up more often or struggling to nap consistently.

The chemicals in cigarettes disrupt their natural rhythms, leading to fragmented sleep and even brief pauses in breathing (apnea).

These changes don’t just leave babies cranky—they can slow their growth and development.

Should you be nursing, cutting back or quitting can help your baby sleep better. Even reducing smoke exposure in your home makes a difference.

Small steps now mean healthier sleep for your baby later.

Reduced Iodine Supply and Thyroid Function Concerns

In case you’re breastfeeding and smoking, nicotine exposure might lower your baby’s iodine levels, which can interfere with their thyroid hormones.

Low thyroid hormone levels can slow down their metabolism and even affect how they grow and develop. This puts them at risk for delays, so it’s crucial to understand the connection between smoking, iodine, and your baby’s health.

Low Thyroid Hormone Levels

Because nicotine affects iodine levels in breast milk, your baby couldn’t get enough of this key nutrient for healthy thyroid function.

Without enough iodine, their tiny thyroid can’t produce enough thyroid hormone, which is vital for brain development and growth.

Nicotine also increases oxidative stress, which can further damage thyroid cells and disrupt hormone production.

Should you be breastfeeding, nicotine exposure—whether from smoking or vaping—can pass these risks to your baby.

Low thyroid hormone levels might slow their metabolism, weaken muscle tone, or even delay milestones like crawling or talking.

Since thyroid hormones help regulate nearly every system in their growing body, this isn’t something to overlook.

The positive aspect? Reducing nicotine exposure can help protect their thyroid function and give them a healthier start.

Impaired Infant Metabolism

While breastfeeding, your nicotine exposure—whether from smoking or vaping—can mess with your baby’s metabolism by cutting down their iodine supply.

Iodine is essential for thyroid function, and without enough, your little one’s body struggles to make the hormones needed for growth. Maternal smoking disrupts this balance, raising the risk of thyroid dysfunction, which can slow down their metabolism.

This impaired infant metabolism couldn’t show immediate signs, but it sets the stage for bigger issues should it be left unchecked. You can help by avoiding nicotine and ensuring you get enough iodine-rich foods, like dairy or seafood.

Small changes now protect their tiny systems later. Be aware, their body relies on yours—so what you do today shapes their health tomorrow.

Developmental Delays Risk

Nicotine’s impact on your baby’s development goes beyond metabolism—it can slow their growth in ways you couldn’t notice right away.

Smoking during pregnancy reduces iodine supply, which your baby needs for healthy thyroid function. Without enough iodine, their thyroid can’t work properly, leading to developmental delays.

Exposure to tobacco smoke disrupts hormone levels, affecting how their brain and body grow. These harmful effects could show up as slower learning, trouble focusing, or even behavioral challenges later. The longer the exposure, the higher the risk.

Even should you not see immediate signs, the damage can last. Protecting your baby starts with avoiding smoke—every cigarette counts. Small changes now make a big difference for their future.

You’ve got the power to give them the best start.

Histopathological Damage in Liver and Lungs

Exposure to nicotine during pregnancy doesn’t just affect the mother—it leaves lasting marks on a newborn’s liver and lungs.

Histopathological damage in infants exposed to nicotine shows up as structural changes in these organs, disrupting their normal function. In the lungs, oxidative damage from nicotine breaks down delicate tissues, leading to lung dysfunction that can persist long after birth.

The liver isn’t spared either; studies reveal abnormal cell structures, which could hinder its ability to filter toxins effectively. These changes aren’t just microscopic—they can impact your baby’s health from day one.

While some effects may not be immediately obvious, the risk of long-term complications grows with every exposure. Protecting your child starts with comprehending how nicotine alters their tiny, developing organs.

Increased Risk of Respiratory Illnesses and Infections

Because nicotine reaches your baby before they even take their primary breath, it can set them up for a lifetime of respiratory struggles.

Maternal smoking or nicotine exposure during pregnancy increases your newborn’s risk of respiratory illnesses like asthma, chronic coughing, and frequent infections. Their tiny lungs develop differently, making it harder to clear mucus and fight off viruses.

Even when you avoid traditional cigarettes, vaping still exposes them to nicotine, which disrupts lung growth and weakens their defenses. Studies show these babies often face more hospital visits for breathing problems.

Secondhand smoke worsens these risks, so keeping their environment smoke-free matters. While quitting isn’t easy, every reduction helps protect your little one’s lungs—because their primary breaths should be easier, not harder.

Low-Birth-Weight and Premature Birth Complications

Beyond the risk of respiratory issues, nicotine’s impact stretches further, affecting your baby’s growth before they’re even born.

At the onset of your pregnancy, nicotine tightens blood vessels, cutting off oxygen and nutrients to your baby. This can lead to low-birth-weight, a condition where your newborn weighs less than 5.5 pounds, raising their risk of infections and developmental delays.

Smoking also increases the chances of premature birth, with babies arriving too soon and facing struggles like breathing troubles or feeding difficulties.

The positive news? Quitting smoking, even in the beginning of pregnancy, greatly reduces these adverse effects.

Every day without cigarettes helps your baby grow stronger. You’re not just protecting their initial breaths—you’re giving them a healthier start for life.

Smoking cessation is the best step you can take right now.

Elevated Susceptibility to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Should you smoke during your pregnancy, your baby faces a much higher chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Nicotine exposure messes with their ability to wake up should they stop breathing, making them more vulnerable.

Even secondhand smoke after birth adds to the risk, so it’s essential to keep their environment smoke-free.

Increased SIDS Risk Factors

Should a mother smoke during pregnancy, her baby faces a much higher chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Smoking introduces nicotine into your bloodstream, disrupting your baby’s brain development—especially areas controlling breathing. This makes it harder for them to wake up should their oxygen drop during sleep.

Pregnant women who smoke also increase the risk of low birth weight, which further raises SIDS odds. Even after birth, secondhand smoke exposure can weaken your baby’s respiratory system, making them more vulnerable.

Babies born to smokers might experience more apnea episodes, where breathing stops briefly, compounding the danger.

The safest choice? Quitting smoking before or during pregnancy drastically lowers these risks, giving your little one the best shot at safe, healthy sleep.

Nicotine Exposure Link

Maternal nicotine exposure doesn’t just raise the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)—it fundamentally alters how an infant’s developing brain regulates breathing and sleep. At the time mothers smoke during pregnancy, nicotine crosses the placenta, disrupting the baby’s ability to control essential functions. This exposure doubles the risk of SIDS, and even secondhand smoke after birth compounds the danger. The more cigarettes smoked, the higher the risk, with studies linking 20% of SIDS cases to maternal smoking.

Protecting your baby starts with reducing nicotine exposure. Small changes make a big difference.