Pregnant Smokers May 'Prime' Their Kids to Smoke

[Shelli]

Their children had triple the risk of smoking at 14, study found (http://health.msn.com/healthnews/ArticlePage.aspx?cp-documentid=100149320)

-- Robert Preidt

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women who smoke may actually "program" their kids to become smokers, according to an Australian study that looked at 3,000 mothers and their children.

Researchers at the University of Queensland examined the smoking patterns of the children when they reached the age of 21 and then compared them to the smoking behaviors of the mothers during pregnancy. About one-third of the mothers smoked when they were pregnant.

Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were nearly three times more likely to start smoking regularly at, or before, age 14 and about twice as like to start smoking after age 14 compared to children born to nonsmoking mothers.

The smoking patterns of children of mothers who stopped smoking while pregnant, but started smoking again after pregnancy, were similar to the children of mothers who never smoked, the study found.

The findings suggest that smoking during pregnancy has some direct effect on the child's likelihood of becoming a smoker, the researchers concluded. This is yet another reason why pregnant women should not smoke, they said.

The study is published in the journal Tobacco Control.

[quiet bear]

For the life of me, I can't figure out why any woman would smoke while pregnant.

Years ago, maybe. But with today's knowledge of the subject, good grief, I just don't see how it's possible a woman would continue to smoke if she found out she was pregnant.

[wildernesse]

Because they are crazy addicted. In the past year, I have met WAY too many people who would rather smoke plain old cigarettes than buy food (or anything else).

[Shelli]

It is an aweful addiction, fer sure.

[beyelzu]

dunno, i wonder if poor people are more likely to smoke throughout their pregnancies.

i wonder if they took socioeconomic factors into account. it is a very interesting news piece, and if a baby can be born addicted to crack why not nicotine.

but still, id like to see more information.

[Miss Shelby]

It is an aweful addiction, fer sure.
That's what I have heard. I do feel bad for people who smoke and want to quit, because I have also heard it's the hardest addiction to break. I can't say that I feel sorry for pregnant women who smoke, though, unless they're really trying to.

[Shelli]

Well, I've quit a few times just for myself and I've been smoke free for about 6 months. I can say with 99.99% certainty that if I were to have become pregnant as a smoker, I would definately have quit at least for the term of the pregnancy. The evidence of the negative effects of smoking on the fetus is overwhelming. I just don't see any excuse, but that's me.

[quiet bear]

I quit in the late 90's. I wasn't pregnant, though.

[Shelli]

dunno, i wonder if poor people are more likely to smoke throughout their pregnancies.

i wonder if they took socioeconomic factors into account. it is a very interesting news piece, and if a baby can be born addicted to crack why not nicotine.

but still, id like to see more information.
I agree with all of the above. I think it's safe to say, however, that the safer course is to not smoke while pregnant, for not only this reason but for many health reasons.