A new study has shown that smoking during pregnancy does not effect physical and cognitive development in the way it has been thought to. The study suggests that smoking affects the child's birth weight and their risks of becoming overweight but causes no direct harm to other aspects of the child.
A U.S. study in the 1960's tracked 53,000 children, the children of smoking mothers were much more at risk of having a low birth weight, and this consequence has been noted in studies for a long time.
There is also weaker evidence that shows children of smoking women were very likely to be overweight by the age of 7. Studies in the past have shown this link quite often, and it is felt that an aspect of the brain that helps control appetite is affected.
What current studies are showing is that intelligence, school performance and behavioural problems are not a consequence of smoking during pregnancy.
Of course, the growth of child is a very complicated process and women should still be careful when they are pregnant. However, this research shows that nicotine is not as strong a drug as it is portrayed to be.
[Via: China Daily]
