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The effect of prenatal smoke exposure on child neuropsychological function: a prospective mother-child cohort study

Joana Roigé-Castellví1, Michelle Murphy2,3, Carmen Hernández-Martínez1

  • 1Centre de Recerca en Avaluació i Mesura de la Conducta (CRAMC), Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Tarragona, Spain.

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology
|February 20, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) in pregnancy was prospectively studied. Children exposed to maternal smoking showed deficits in mental flexibility, but overall intelligence quotient (IQ) and other neuropsychological functions remained unaffected.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) is linked to adverse child neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  • Some research indicates these associations may diminish after controlling for confounding factors.
  • Understanding the precise impact of PSE on cognitive development is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively investigate the long-term effects of prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) on children's neuropsychological function and intelligence quotient (IQ).
  • To assess the impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy on specific domains of cognitive and executive function in children at 7.5 years of age.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study followed 248 mother-child dyads from the first trimester of pregnancy until the child's age of 7.5 years.
  • Prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) was assessed via maternal questionnaires and plasma cotinine levels.
  • Child neuropsychological function and IQ were evaluated using standardized tests, including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and the ENFEN, with analyses adjusted for covariates.

Main Results:

  • Children exposed to maternal smoking throughout pregnancy exhibited significantly lower scores in mental flexibility (interference subtest of ENFEN) compared to unexposed children (F = 4.1; p = .008).
  • No significant differences were observed in other executive functions, verbal and visual memory, or overall IQ between prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) groups.
  • The findings suggest a specific, limited impact of PSE on certain aspects of cognitive function.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) has a minimal impact on overall child neuropsychological outcomes, primarily affecting mental flexibility.
  • These results underscore the importance of public health initiatives encouraging smoking cessation during pregnancy to mitigate even limited adverse effects on child development.

Keywords:
Prenatal smoke exposure (PSE)executive function (EF)intelligence quotient (IQ)neuropsychological functionsecond-hand smoke (SHS) exposure

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