Smoking During Pregnancy May Affect Future Generations

Pregnant Woman Smoking

A new study is warning that smoking during pregnancy can affect the growth of a woman’s future grandchildren. The findings, published in the American Journal of Human Biology reveal that the effects of smoking during pregnancy may affect up to four generations – even if the offspring or their mothers never light up for themselves. 

When the paternal grandmother smoked during pregnancy, granddaughters were taller and grandsons had a greater bone and muscle mass. When the maternal grandmother smoked, the grandsons were heavier than expected during adolescence. If both grandmothers smoked, granddaughters had lesser height and weight compared with girls whose mothers, but not grandmothers, smoked during pregnancy.

The researchers did not look into why the health effects through generations occurred, only found patterns consistent with generational maternal smoking.

It is estimated that 1 in 10 women smoke in the last trimester of pregnancy – a staggering amount when the consequences are serious. Smokers are more likely to suffer miscarriages and increase the chances of low birth weight, premature birth and certain birth defects. 

Previous studies have also looked at cross-generationg effects of smoking including one last year that suggested a woman’s exposure to nicotine during pregnancy could increase her great-grandchild’s chances of asthma. 

 

5 Comments
  1. Susan Maccarelli says

    That is wild! It is really scary how something can affect lives so far into the future. Ditto for GMOs.

  2. Bonnie @ wemake7 says

    That’s some really good information. I wouldn’t have thought that it can effect future generations as well. I don’t understand why people smoke when their pregnant to begin with?

  3. Joanna Sormunen says

    I’m not suprised. Cigarets have so many different kinds of poison that can affect us at cellular level. Of course there is going to be consequences.

  4. Charles Johnston says

    Taking generational sin to a whole new level but not surprising, as a ex-smoker many years later I am still finding new and fun ways that I have damaged myself from smoking.

  5. Bismah says

    This is such vital information. It really upsets me when I see pregnant women lighting up cigarettes and assuming that the only one they are affecting is themselves. There really needs to be more education on these matters during schooling.

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