Smoking During Pregnancy May Lead to Behavior Problems in Children

I spend a lot of time reading through blogs and news related to pregnancy. Pregnancy has been around since the beginning of mankind (obviously), and yet there are always new headlines. But once in a while, I run across something, usually a study, that makes me want to slap my monitor and say “duh!” Sometimes you wonder why our money is being spent on research that concludes with what most of us would consider common sense. (Okay, stepping off my soap box now.) One such study gives us one more reason to not smoke during pregnancy. If the health risks … Continue reading

Smoking Increases SIDS Risk

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the third leading cause of death for U.S. infants. After years of research into the disorder, the Back to Sleep campaign was started and mothers were warned against putting infants to sleep on their stomachs. The National Institute of Health reported a 30 percent decline in SIDS deaths in the years after the campaign began in 1992. Researchers in Australia have found a link they think may have an even bigger impact, maternal smoking. According to research conducted at Monash University in Melbourne, mother’s smoking may be an … Continue reading

Smoking in Pregnancy and SIDS

Canadian researchers have examined the link between smoking during pregnancy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in premature babies. The study was conducted at the University of Calvary in Alberta, Canada. A double risk was found among women who smoke during pregnancy. The researchers studied the breathing reflexes in two groups of preterm babies, those with mothers who smoked during pregnancy and babies of non smoking mothers. They found the breathing reflexes in the group of preterm babies with smoking mothers to be consistent with a higher risk of SIDS. For the study, researchers took a baseline reading of all … Continue reading

The Pregnancy Blog Review March 18-23

A variety of topics related to pregnancy and having a healthy baby have been covered in the pregnancy blog this week. If you haven’t been able to read, the review is the best way to see the week’s articles all in one place. Click the links to read the blogs that interest you. Concern about cleaning products is common among pregnant women. The products used for cleaning in the average home contain many chemicals, some known to be toxic. Research suggests there may be a link to certain cleaning products and asthma in children. Read more in Cleaning Precautions During … Continue reading

Quit Smoking for a Calmer Baby

As if there weren’t enough good reasons to quit smoking during pregnancy, it appears another can be added to the list. Quitting smoking may result in a more relaxed baby, according to researchers. It appears that a mother’s smoking habits may have an affect on the baby’s temperament. The study was conducted by UK and US researchers at the University of Illinois and the University of York. The study looked at 18,000 infants. The mothers were classified into four groups: non smokers, smokers who quit during the pregnancy, very light smokers and heavy smokers. Information was collected about the pregnancy, … Continue reading

The Effect of Cigarette Smoke on the Fetus

In my last blog, I talked about new research that suggests a woman has a window of until the 15th week of pregnancy to quit smoking. If she quits by then, her chances of having a preterm birth or a baby of low birth weight are lowered to the same level as a non smoker. If she continues smoking beyond that point, the risk of having a preterm birth is triple that of a non smoker. In that blog, I suggested this new evidence could give women an added boost of motivation to quit. A comment in that blog talked … Continue reading

Trying to Get Pregnant? Avoid Secondhand Smoke

Several research studies have shown a link between cigarette smoking and fertility problems. Quitting smoking has been touted as an important step in enhancing fertility. But, that may not be enough. New research now shows a potential link between fertility issues and secondhand smoke. A study conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center found women exposed to second hand smoke were significantly more likely to have trouble conceiving a baby than women with no exposure. According to researchers, this could be adult exposure or even exposure to secondhand smoke during childhood. Approximately half the women in the secondhand smoke … Continue reading

Nicotine Replacement Therapy Use in Pregnancy

As we all know by now, quitting smoking is the very best gift you can give your baby. Not only will you help ensure he has a mother to grow up with, you will be helping his health. Smoking is linked to a wide range of problems, both during the pregnancy and after the baby is born. However, quitting smoking is extremely difficult. Many experts compare nicotine addiction to addiction to heroine. It is that addictive. As a former smoker, I completely agree with that statement. One method some people use successfully to help quit is nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine … Continue reading

Pregnancy and Your Cell Phone

The other day, I heard a report on CNN recommending that pregnant women limit the use of cell phones. I was in the middle of the morning rush, so I didn’t catch it all and decided to do some research later. The recommendation is based on a study in the US and Denmark on cell phone use and pregnancy. The study was conducted at UCLA in California and at Aarhus in Denmark. This was a large study, looking at nearly 14,000 mothers of children born in the 1990s. The mothers were questioned about their use of cell phones during pregnancy. … Continue reading