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Smokers' Infants Born With High Nicotine Exposure
< Jun.
20, 2007 > --When at least one parent in
a household smokes, infants have levels of a toxin
called cotinine that are over five times higher than
those with non-smoking parents, a British study finds.
Cotinine is created as the body tries to get rid
of the nicotine in inhaled smoke.
About one hundred 12-week-old infants were studied, and urine samples were obtained to check for cotinine levels. The majority of infants had at least one parent who smoked, around 30 per cent had non-smoking parents. Researchers found that having a mother who smoked quadrupled urine cotinine levels. Having a father who smoked doubled the urine cotinine level.
The
study authors also observed that "'smoking' babies tend to come from poorer homes, which may have smaller rooms and inadequate heating".
Room
temperature appears to have an independent effect on the risk
factors for infant death. This has been demonstrated
by earlier studies on seasonal patterns of sudden infant
death syndrome (SIDS). An overheated infant is more
likely to go into a deep sleep from which it is difficult
to arouse.
Also,
the study states that "higher cotinine levels in colder times of the year may be a reflection of the other key factors which influence exposure to passive smoking, such as poorer ventilation or a greater tendency for parents to smoke indoors in winter".
SIDS
is the sudden and unexplained death of an infant under one year of age, and is sometimes called crib death. It
is the major cause of death in infants, occurring most
often between two and three months of age. The death
is sudden and unpredictable; in most cases, the baby
seems healthy.
Having a smoker parent is a known risk factor for SIDS and the study authors suggest that one reason could be that infants inhale smoke particles from the closeness of their parents' clothing or other objects. Infants had higher cotinine levels when they slept with their parents even when other factors were eliminated. Mothers who smoke are three times more likely to have a SIDS baby.
Although
long term effects on infants in these passive smoking
environments have not been determined, it is clear
that babies become "heavy passive smokers" by
being around the smoke of their parents.
Cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine, has cardiovascular stimulant effects. It is also only one of the byproducts that tobacco smoke produces. How cotinine levels specifically affect infants is not known.
What
is known is that an infant's exposure over time to
smoking will have a cumulative effect, and may cause
some delays in growth and other physical problems.
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), secondhand smoke is considered responsible for 2,300 SIDS deaths each year. Secondhand smoke also increases the risk of serious respiratory disease during the first two years of a child's life.
As most parents are highly motivated to take care of their children, these study results provide even more incentive to stop smoking when pregnant or around infants.
Always consult your child's physician for more information.
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According
to the American Lung Association (ALA), environmental tobacco smoke contributes to 150,000 to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections annually in children less than 18 months of age, resulting in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations.
Also,
according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) studies
have shown that maternal smoking during pregnancy has
long-term effects on children's behavior and health,
including adolescent drug abuse and negative behavior
and conduct such as impulsiveness, risk-taking, and
rebelliousness. Prenatal exposure to smoke may also
predispose children to early smoking experimentation.
Although fewer women are smoking during their pregnancy now than ever before, the habit still persists among many women. In addition, even if a pregnant woman does not smoke, she may be exposed to secondhand smoke in the household, workplace, or in social settings.
Smoke can be damaging to a fetus in several ways, and may cause low birthweight, preterm birth, stillbirths, and birth defects.
Subsequently, babies born to smokers may also have the following problems:
Researchers believe the effects of carbon monoxide (which reduces oxygen in the blood) and nicotine (which stimulates certain hormones) cause many of these adverse effects.
However, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if a woman quits smoking early in her pregnancy, she increases her chance of delivering a healthy baby.
Always consult your child's physician for more information.
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