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If you smoke and are considering a pregnancy, stop smoking!

There is evidence emerging that smoking during pregnancy (and how many cigarettes smoked per day) is correlated with developmental outcomes after the children are born.  The children of smokers were found to have more conduct problems like getting into fights or having difficulty paying attention.

This study was performed on three continents (in New Zealand, UK, and USA) and compared children’s behavior between ages 4 and  10.   Behavior was scored by both parents and teachers.  They reported on children’s conduct problems and gave them a score.

The researchers in this study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, remarked that “it’s illuminating the prenatal period as having an ongoing influence on outcomes.”    It is thought that influences both prenatal and postnatal are clearly important.

Postulated explanations for this behavioral difficulty may be that the babies of mothers who smoke may be born smaller or have impaired brain development.

I am not a smoker. I do appreciate how addictive nicotine is.  There are innumerable reasons WHY to quit– this is one more.   Thankfully, there are good resources and medications to help stop smoking.

Ask your doctor for help today!