Weight Worries and Smoking Linked Amongst New Moms

Post delivery ‘weight gain worries’ lure about two-third women who quit smoking during pregnancy but revert back to the damaging habit after delivery, revealed researchers.

The study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, U.S., unfolds weight gain apprehensions among new mothers as the key factor behind their decision to get back to smoking.

Michele Levine, lead author of the study said, "In women who quit smoking when they become pregnant, we found that concerns about weight can make them less motivated to stay smoke-free after pregnancy."

The study interviewed 119 women who were habitual smokers but they quitted smoking after getting to know about their pregnancy.

Women in their third trimester were questioned about their plans of quitting smoking postpartum. The results showed that about 65 percent of the women were highly motivated not to smoke again, of which three-fourth were positive and assertive about not starting again.

However, the remaining 35 percent who were less confident in quitting smoking postpartum had high post delivery weight gain tensions.

“Our results indicate that weight issues play a role in a woman's motivation to remain smoke-free after pregnancy," Levine said.

In U.S. most women give up smoking during their pregnancy due to its known effects on the fetus. Moreover, passive smoking can increase cases of sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, respiratory illness and asthma among newborns.

Dr. Sharon Phelan, an obstetrics-gynecology professor states the issue as ironical. "The irony is, after they have the baby there is not that external support.” Friends and family make it hard for the woman to stay smoke free after delivery.

Other than the harmful habit of smoking there are other ways available to lose weight postpartum – breast feeding being one of them which guzzles away about 500 to 600 calories a day.