Tobacco.org

• Smoking Damages Placenta, Stunts Fetal Growth 

Smoking during pregnancy damages the placenta and reduces levels of a crucial growth hormone, resulting in smaller babies with smaller brains, British researchers said on Monday.

"The profound effects of smoking on fetal development are irreversible and may cause impairment in the health and well-being of the offspring in later life," said Dr. Peter Hindmarsh at the British Endocrine Societies annual meeting in Glasgow.

"In particular, the reduced brain size that we saw in smokers' babies could lead to impaired cognitive ability of the child," he said.

Hindmarsh and colleagues at University College London studied 1,650 expectant mothers

Jump to full article »