Tobacco smoking by pregnant women is not only harmful to the mother but also to the child. It is known that smoking during or after pregnancy is linked to a wide range of problems like behavioral problems, neuro-cognitive problems and sudden infant death. As per the publications of a study in the European Health Journal, it was found that prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke affects future heart risks.
The study revealed that when women smoke during pregnancy, many changes are seen in their unborn babies. The children are seen with lower levels of a type of cholesterol called High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This is a good cholesterol which plays an important role in protecting the child against atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition where the fatty materials get collected along the walls of the arteries. As a result they get thickened and blocked leading to heart problems and heart attacks. The study found that the levels of HDL cholesterol were lower (1.3 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) ) among children born to smoked pregnant mothers when compared to those (1.5 mmol/L) for children born to mothers who had not smoked.
The study included analysis of data from 405 healthy eight year old kids who were born between 1997 and 1999. The information related to the smoking habits, height, weight, blood pressure of the mothers were also collected. The arterial wall thickness and the measure of lipoprotein levels in the blood of kids were analyzed. The study revealed that there was no effect on the thickness of arterial walls. However, the levels of the HDL cholesterol were affected a lot. This would suggest an increased risk of heart attacks in the children in the later stages of life.
It was found that for every 0.025mmol/L increase in HDL levels, the risk of coronary heart disease decreases approximately 2 to 3 percent. Thus, there is a necessity for the pregnant women to quit smoking to protect their child's health.
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