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[Effect of smoking on the fetus and the child during pregnancy]
C Gueguen1, G Lagrue, J Janse-Marec
1Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique et Maternité, Hôpital Franco-Britannique, Levallois-Perret.
Insights
Smoking during pregnancy harms fetal development, leading to intellectual impairment and increased cancer risk in infants. Quitting smoking is crucial for a healthier pregnancy outcome.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatric Oncology
- Toxicology
Context:
- Cigarette smoking is a prevalent issue during pregnancy.
- Nicotine exposure poses significant risks to fetal development.
- The long-term health consequences for infants are a major concern.
Purpose:
- To highlight the severe toxic effects of maternal smoking on fetal development.
- To raise awareness among pregnant women and healthcare providers about the risks of active and passive smoking.
- To emphasize the importance of smoking cessation during pregnancy.
Summary:
- Maternal smoking is linked to adverse fetal outcomes, including "small for date" babies, intellectual deficits, and behavioral issues.
- Nicotine's genotoxic effects are evident in amniotic fluid and newborn lymphocytes, increasing cancer risk.
- Infants born to smoking mothers show higher incidences of leukemia, lymphoma, and brain tumors.
Impact:
- Increased awareness can lead to reduced rates of smoking during pregnancy.
- Early cessation can mitigate the risks of intellectual impairment and childhood cancers.
- Public health initiatives are needed to support pregnant women in quitting smoking.
Abstract:
Cigarette smoking remains a frequent problem during pregnancy. Nicotine has deleterious effects on the foetus. The most common problem remains "small for date" babies. However, this is a minor problem compared with two major toxic consequences: intellectual impairment and increased rate of infantile cancer. Many studies have shown diminished intellectual capacity, behavioural problems and an increase of sudden infant death syndrome. The cancerigenic and genotoxic effects of smoking are well documented with recent studies showing the genotoxicity of amniotic fluid in smoking pregnant women and lymphocyte chromosome mutation in newborns. The frequency of cancers, particularly leukaemia, lymphoma and cerebral tumours are increased in children born to women who smoke during pregnancy. It is therefore excessively important to help pregnant women and their doctors become aware of the toxic effects of active or passive smoking in pregnancy and encourage the patients and their friends and relations to stop smoking as soon as pregnancy is diagnosed or if it's possible before the pregnancy.