1. Avoiding Dangers to the Baby
What are things a woman should avoid when pregnant?

2. Environmental causes of birth defects
The nutritional balance of the mother’s diet
Any diseases or infections the mother has during pregnancy
Harmful substances the mother consumes
Alcohol
Over-the-counter medications
Illegal drugs
Some medicines that benefit the mother, but hurt the baby
Prescription drugs
Dietary supplements
Exposer to hazards
X-rays
High levels of radiation
Certain chemicals

3. Environmental causes of birth defects
Factor the mother CAN control
Factors the mother CANNOT control
The nutritional balance of the mother’s diet
Any diseases or infections the mother has during pregnancy
Exposer to hazards
Harmful substances the mother consumes
Some medicines that benefit the mother, but hurt the baby
Any diseases or infections the mother has during pregnancy
Some medicines that benefit the mother, but hurt the baby
Exposer to hazards

4. Alcohol
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause:
Birth defects
Low birth weight
Mental retardation
Learning disabilities
Emotional problems
Behavioral problems
Fetal alcohol syndrome- physical and mental disabilities
Increased risk of miscarriage- death before the 20th week
Increased risk of stillbirth- death after the 20th week

5. Drugs Types of drugs: Illegal drugs Prescription drugs
Over-the-counter medicines
A woman SHOULD NOT take any of these without consulting her doctor first! This includes prescription and over-the-counter medications she was taking before pregnancy.

6. Taking drugs during pregnancy increases the chance of:
Birth defects
Premature babies
Under weight babies
Stillbirth
Children with behavioral problems
Children with memory and/or attention problems

7. These chemicals can lessen the amount of oxygen your baby gets!
Tobacco
What is so harmful about tobacco?
Nicotine
Carbon monoxide
Tar
These chemicals can lessen the amount of oxygen your baby gets!

8. Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have:
Vaginal bleeding
An ectopic pregnancy-fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus
Placental abruption-placenta peels away from the uterine wall
Placental previa-low-lying placenta
Stillbirth- death after 20 weeks

9. Second hand smoke can be just as harmful!
Babies born to women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to be born:
With birth defects
Prematurely
At low birth weight
Second hand smoke can be just as harmful!