In simple words: Smoking during the period after childbirth can cause harm to both the mother and baby.

Smoking (tobacco) complicating the puerperium refers to the continued use of tobacco products by a mother after childbirth.This practice poses health risks to the mother, such as delayed wound healing and increased risk of cardiovascular complications, and to the infant, such as increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and respiratory problems.

Example 1: A woman delivered a healthy baby vaginally two weeks ago. She continues to smoke cigarettes at home, exposing both herself and the infant to secondhand smoke., A woman is one week postpartum after a cesarean section.She reports smoking, which could complicate her recovery and increase the risk of infection at the surgical site., A woman with a history of asthma delivered her baby via cesarean section one week ago. She continues to smoke, exacerbating her asthma and potentially affecting her ability to care for her newborn.

Documentation should include the type of tobacco used (cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, etc.), frequency of use, and any related complications for the mother or infant.

** This code is used only on the maternal record, never on the newborn record.It is important to counsel and encourage postpartum women to quit smoking for their own health and the health of their infants.