Researchers at University of Arizona have put forth a theory that states – if a mother smokes while pregnant her child is more likely to become a smoker as a teen or young adult, and remain addicted throughout their lives.
The lead researcher, Dr. Roni Grad, and associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the university says, "Somehow smoke is changing the brain chemistry. If you are exposed to smoking prenatally or in the early years of life, you are much more likely to be a chronic smoker at the age of 22."
These children have four times the chance of becoming regular smokers.
One additional consequence of a mother smoking while pregnant is that her child is much more likely to be unable to quit. In fact, whether a child's father smoked or peer pressure was found to have a much lesser impact than the smoking habits of the mother.
Ideally nobody would smoke but this just give mothers one more reason not to smoke while they are pregnant.
[Via: US news]
