Second Hand Smoke: Unhealthy for Pregnant Women

As rates of cognitive and behavioral problems in children continue to rise, there’s a growing body of evidence that environmental pollutants are a significant contributor to the troubling trend. A new study has strongly implicated second hand smoke. The study found that regular prenatal exposure to second hand smoke has been linked to attention deficits, aggressive behavior, acting out, and regular confrontation with rules in children—a group of problems collectively called externalizing behaviors. Infants born to women regularly exposed to tobacco also experience more colic and can be more difficult to soothe. Single episodes of smoke exposure are unlikely to have an effect.

It is firmly established that children born to women who smoked during their pregnancy have a higher risk of behavioral disorders. Studies have shown that daughters born to moms who smoked were nearly five times more likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) whereas sons were twice as likely as those born to nonsmokers. ADHD is a growing problem in the US, affecting an estimated 5% of children. Tobacco contains many toxins including lead and various chemicals that can act as anti-estrogens and affect fetal development including brain development.

This study provides all the evidence you should need to take steps to avoid second hand tobacco smoke. Make your house and car smoke-free and support businesses that are smoke-free or provide a non-smoking section. Tell smoking family and friends that you’re pregnant and you don’t want to put your baby at risk. Ask to get reassigned if to a nonsmoking area at work. And if you’re a smoker, talk to your doctor about what you can do to quit.