Here's how smoking during pregnancy can affect your baby

Smoking during pregnancy is widely considered bad for the health both for the mother and baby, yet some women persist and many are exposed to passive smoking. In addition to the many toxins present in cigarette smoke, it is also suspected of having endocrine-disrupting properties that may increase testosterone levels of the baby. Baby girls exposed to higher levels of the male hormone, testosterone, in the womb are at greater risk of abnormal development and long-term negative effects on their fertility and metabolism.