Exclusive: A major new report seen by the IoS has revealed that smoking holds the key to a mystery that has baffled doctors and brought heartache to thousands.
Jump to full article: The Independent (uk), 2007-10-14
Author: Roger Dobson and Senay Boztas
Intro: Nine out of 10 mothers whose babies suffered cot death smoked during pregnancy, according to a scientific study to be published this week. The study, thought to be one of the most authoritative to date on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), says women who smoke during pregnancy are four times more likely than non-smokers to see their child fall victim to cot death.
The comprehensive report will make a strong case for the Government to increase the scope of anti-smoking legislation. It even suggests a possible move to try to ban pregnant women from getting tobacco altogether.
The study, produced by Bristol University's Institute of Child Life and Health, is based on analysis of the evidence of 21 international studies on smoking and cot death. The report, co-authored by Peter Fleming, professor of infant health and developmental physiology, and Dr Peter Blair, senior research fellow, will be published this week in the medical journal Early Human Development.
The report urges the Government "to emphasise the adverse effects of tobacco smoke exposure to infants and among pregnant women". It also warns that this year's ban on smoking in public places must not result in an increased exposure of infants or pregnant woman at home - smoking in their presence should be seen as being "anti-social, potentially dangerous, and unacceptable".
The study points out that many mothers and mothers-to-be have not heeded warnings about smoking and may need to have their access to tobacco restricted. . . .
Scientists are working to the theory that exposure to smoke during the pregnancy or just after birth has an effect on brain chemicals in the foetus or in infants, increasing the risk of SIDS.
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Quotes from this article:
Exposure to tobacco smoke, either prenatally or postnatally, will lead to a complex range of effects upon normal physiological and anatomical development in foetal and postnatal life, together with an increased incidence of acute viral infection that places infants at greatly increased risk of SIDS.
Study produced by Bristol University's Institute of Child Life and Health, which is based on analysis of the evidence of 21 international studies on smoking and cot death.
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