How Alcohol, Smoking, and Drugs Can Affect Your Baby

Protecting Your Baby Starts with Taking Care of Yourself

Substances to Avoid

To keep yourself and your baby safe, avoid the following:

• Alcohol (beer, wine, or liquor) can harm your baby’s brain and body.
• Cigarettes increase the risk of your baby being born too early or too small.
• Secondhand smoke (the smoke from someone else’s cigars or cigarettes) can also harm your baby.
• Vaping and e-cigarettes may damage your baby’s brain and body.
• Marijuana may harm babies, no matter how it is taken.  
• Street drugs can cause serious issues, including early labor and brain damage to your child.

Do You or Your Family Need Help?

You don’t have to go through this alone. Support is available to help you quit smoking, stop substance use, and stay healthy during pregnancy.

Support for Substance Use in Pregnancy

• Call the Substance Use and Pregnancy Helpline: 617.414.4165.
• Learn more about support from our RESPECT clinic, which provides care for pregnant people using substances.

Quit Smoking

• Call 1.800.QUITNOW  
• Call the Smoking Cessation Program: 617.414.4847.  
• Visit the Massachusetts Quitline for more information.

If You Are 12–17 Years Old

• Text “Start My Quit” to 36072
• Call 1.855.891.9989
• Visit MyLifeMyQuit.com