Smoking During Pregnancy Linked To Behavioral Problems In Newborns

Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to babies with behavioral problems, according to a study reported in the current issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The study included 18,000 UK babies born between 2000 and 2002.

The mothers were classified as either non-smokers during pregnancy, quitters, light smokers and those who smoked 10 or more cigarettes a day (heavy smokers). The infants’ temperaments were assessed when they were 9 months old. The results showed that mothers to be who kicked their habit had the most easy-going infants. At the other end of the scale, heavy smokers had the most difficult children. Their babies were much more likely to exhibit negative behavior traits.
Several studies conducted by the March of Dimes have shown that that babies of mothers who smoke during pregnancy undergo withdrawal-like symptoms similar to those seen in babies of mothers who use some illicit drugs. For example, babies of smokers appear to be more jittery and difficult to soothe than babies of nonsmokers. Babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are up to three times as likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as babies of nonsmokers.
Cigarette smoke contains more than 2,500 chemicals. It is not known for certain which of these chemicals are harmful to the developing baby, but both nicotine and carbon monoxide play a role in causing adverse pregnancy outcomes. Studies suggest that babies of women who are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy may have reduced growth and may be more likely to be born with low birth weight. Pregnant women should also avoid exposure to other people’s smoke.

Source: British Medical Journal

Filed under: Children's Health, Pregnancy, Prevention, Smoking, Women's Health

Tags: beahavior

Comments

2 Responses to “Smoking During Pregnancy Linked To Behavioral Problems In Newborns”

Anon on March 15th, 2008 14:11

Garbage. My mother had 10 kids all ok no problems at all.
katrenavantassle on March 24th, 2008 11:45

I do agree that smoking is a bad nasty habit that only profits the tabacco companies………. but I do agree with ANON…………. All of my grandkids came from smoking parents………and they were all fine… and NORMAL WEIGHT……7.12 LBS….TO 8.6 LBS…… THEY DID NOT GO THRU “WITHDRAWALS”…….AND AS SOON AS THEY WERE BREATHING ON THEIR OWN, THE SMALL AMOUNT OF NICOTINE IN THEIR SYSTEMS WENT AWAY AND WITHOUT ANY SIGNS OF SUCH BABIES WHICH HAD MOTHERS WHO DID MAJOR ILLEGAL DRUGS WHILE PREGNANT. I find in my experience of giving birth to three children, that most infants have a harder time getting adjusted to the correct baby formula than they do from having a mother that SMOKED!!!!!!!!!!!!