Quitting cigs in pregnancy helps kids

[Posted: Thu 13/03/2008]

Giving up smoking during pregnancy may increase a woman’s chances of giving birth to an easy going child, the results of a new study indicate.

Researchers looked at over 18,000 babies born in the UK between 2000 and 2002. Their mothers were divided into four groups depending on their smoking status. They were classified as non-smokers during pregnancy, quitters, light smokers or heavy smokers (10 or more cigarettes per day).

The temperaments of the women’s babies were assessed when they were nine months old. The researchers used a recognised method designed to pick up on positive mood, receptivity to new things and regular sleeping and eating patterns in infants.

The study found that those who quit smoking while pregnant had the most easy going infants, compared with the non-smokers and the smokers. In fact, their children had the lowest chances of unpredictable behaviour and of becoming distressed when faced with new situations or things.

The study also found that heavy smokers had the most difficult children. Their infants were much more likely to achieve the lowest scores for positive mood.

The researchers pointed out that previous animal research has shown that nicotine is a behavioural toxin and being temperamentally difficult can be a forerunner of antisocial behaviour.

They also noted that giving up smoking during pregnancy is associated with an urge to protect the baby, rather than any intention to quit in the long run.

“Relapse rates are high after the birth. But it indicates the capacity to adapt to different circumstances and the ability to plan and to delay gratification, characteristics which seem to be missing in those who carry on smoking”, the researchers said.

Details of these findings are published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

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