Doctors at international conference on reproduction are scathing of those women believed to be putting the lives of their unborn child at risk
Smoking in pregnancy - why some mums persist
Even though it's common knowledge that smoking during pregnancy harms your child, some mums continue to do so. Why? Because they think smoking leads to a smaller baby and a smaller baby leads to an easier birth.
This shocking news came at a the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) in Stockholm. Professor Nick Macklon of Southampton University warned how, by continuing to smoke in the belief they'll have an easier labour, mothers are putting their unborn babies lives at risk both at birth and in the future. "It is important that people who believe that a smaller baby means an easier birth take into account the increased risk of complicated deliveries in smokers, as well as the risk of disease later in life which goes with low birth weight," he said. 'Smoking in pregnancy is not just bad for the mother and baby, but for the adult it will grow into.'
It's long been known about the risks of smoking during pregnancy which can lead to miscarriage, risk of problems in pre-eclampsia pregnancies and SIDS
But there was also good news regarding smoking during pregnancy. The team from Southampton University has discovered hard evidence that women who stopped smoking upon discovering they were pregnant could protect their unborn children from harm. The study also found that those who stopped smoking upon conception were just as likely to give birth to a normal weight baby as those who had never smoked.
Also in the news:
