'University Library System, University of Pittsburgh'
Abstract
Tobacco smoking during pregnancy is a major public health concern. It is well known that smoking before and during pregnancy can cause illness and death to both mothers and infants; furthermore, smoking after delivery can affect infants’ health conditions via secondhand smoke (SHS) and thirdhand smoke (THS) exposure. Total tobacco smoke exposure is the cumulative involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke pollutants during and after smoking, which means that secondhand smoke and thirdhand smoke are also dangerous risk factors that could affect pregnant women and their babies. This essay introduces some basic information about the adverse health effects of tobacco smoke, secondhand smoke, and thirdhand smoke. Furthermore, this essay focuses on two chemical components of tobacco – cadmium and lead, comparing the specific health effects they could lead to in pregnant women and infants through exposure to firsthand (direct) smoke, secondhand smoke, and thirdhand smoke
