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Impact of maternal prenatal smoking on fetal to infant neurobehavioral development

Laura R Stroud1, Meaghan McCallum1, Amy L Salisbury1

  • 1Brown University.

Development and Psychopathology
|August 3, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) impacts fetal neurobehavior, affecting infant attention and self-regulation. Early fetal assessments via ultrasound and actocardiography reveal crucial insights into developmental programming.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Prenatal Medicine

Background:

  • The fetal environment significantly influences postnatal development, a process termed "fetal programming."
  • Traditional assessments of offspring development begin post-birth, overlooking critical prenatal developmental trajectories.
  • Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) is a known risk factor with potential long-term neurodevelopmental consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) on fetal neurobehavior.
  • To explore the relationship between fetal neurobehavior and subsequent infant neurobehavioral outcomes.
  • To validate novel methods for assessing fetal neurobehavioral development.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a novel coding strategy combining ultrasound and actocardiography for direct fetal observation.
  • Assessed fetal neurobehavior using the Fetal Neurobehavioral Assessment System (FENS) at 35 weeks gestation.
  • Administered the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale to infants post-delivery for up to one month.

Main Results:

  • Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) was linked to increased fetal activity and limb movements.
  • Fetal activity, complex movements, and cardiac-somatic coupling correlated with infant attention and self-regulation.
  • Differential associations between fetal behaviors and infant outcomes were observed between MSDP-exposed and non-exposed groups.

Conclusions:

  • Fetal neurobehavioral measures, assessed via ultrasound and actocardiography, are valid tools for understanding fetal programming.
  • Early detection of neurobehavioral differences in fetuses exposed to MSDP can inform interventions.
  • This research highlights the continuity of neurobehavioral development from fetus to infant.

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