eagan@phoenix.UUCP (07/11/84)
Does anyone know what effects smoking has on an unborn child? My mother swears she didnt smoke when she was pregnant, but she STILL swears she doesnt smoke (and she's got very high blood pressure) BUT I can smell smoke in her closets, etc... So, I assume she had her smokes secretly while pregnant (somehow thinking that by her saying she didnt will cancel it's bad effects). I guess I'm wondering what her smoking back then could be doing to me now. Could it effect the fetus' bone development? (i.e. cause later problems or tendencies towards developing things like arthiritus, bursitis, etc...). Thanks
mclin@watarts.UUCP (Madeleine Clin) (07/15/84)
- It is a fact that smoking is harmful to fetuses. It is associated with small birth weight babies and is believed to cause other problems as well. Second hand smoke is a contributing factor too. Women who do not smoke but live with heavy smokers are affected. One thing that is often found at birth is a 'calcified' placenta. This means that the baby has not been getting all the oxygen and nutrients it might otherwise get from its mothers blood. Babies of smoking mothers are often seen to have respiratory problems. Then there are the problems often associated with low birth weight babies. These are: immature sucking reflex, lower "apgar scores"*, reduced brain function, prematurity. By the way, low birth weight at full term is now believed to be worse than prematurity. LBW kids don't seem to "catch up" in growth and reflexes as fast as the premature infant, suggesting possible brain disfunction. Be reminded though that these symptoms are not seen in every infant of the smoking mum, and they are seen in varying degrees. The real problems are rare. There are very good publications available from the Dept. of Health and Welfare in Canada, I'm sure the U.S. gov't has a similar dept. with lots of information on the subject. * Apgar scores are a system of rating the health of the newborn. - Madeleine Clin