Impact of Passive Smoking on Unborn Babies
Smoking is a well-known public health issue, and passive smoking is considered as the third biggest health threat(after smoking and alcohol abuse). Adverse health effects of tobacco were testified and confirmed in 1950's itself with children and unborn babies were identified as one of the most affected sections . This paper aims to highlight the impacts of passive smoking on unborn children. The author has referred to different research papers that aimed to study the impact of mother's smoking on the unborn, fathers' smoking on unborn babies, and mothers exposure to tobacco smoke at work or other places. The author has also used empirical data and relevant studies to substantiate his study.
Impact on Physical Health of Unborn Babies
Researchers at Nottingham University spotted that pregnant women' exposure to smoke increases the risk of birth defects by 13 percent and chances of stillbirth by 23 percent. After compiling the data from previous 19 studies done in South America, North America, Europe and Asia, researchers noted that there were negligible chances of miscarriage by passive smoking. However, risks of birth defects and stillbirth were notable . These studies looked at expectant mothers who did not smoke by themselves, but were exposed to smoke either at workplace or home. Research studies have found an association between neonatal death and exposure to passive smoking. Paternal smoking, studies revealed, increased the risk of perinatal mortality by 60 percent.
As per the report of Environmental Protection Agency( EPA), exposure to second-hand smoke may enhance the risk of respiratory tract infections in unborn babies later in their life. Risks of passive smoking are even grave to cause heart defects in unborn children. However, studies indicate that the possibilities of cardiac defects because of passive smoking are very small. One more study found that unborn kids are prone to developing lung cancer subsequently if they are continuously inhale tobacco smoke. If mothers are exposed to tobacco smoke more often, chances may arise that baby will suffer from any physical deformity. It is because of the genetic mutations that that may occur because of toxic substances in tobacco smoke.
Succinctly put, empirical data testifies that passive smoking is injurious to unborn children. Smoking by mothers during pregnancy may crop up many complications including fatal sleep accidents, premature birth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome(SIDS). Also, studies have exhibited that passive smoking is as damaging for an unborn as smoking by its mother herself. It may cause genetic damage in the developing fetus. Chemicals from the cigarette go into unborn baby's blood, and it receives 25 percent less oxygen. Nicotine goes into the placenta and decreases the flow of blood to fetus thereby affecting the cardiovascular system. Internal organs of the baby may suffer because of less oxygen supply thereby affecting the central nervous system and gastrointestinal system.
Impact on Mental Health
Effects of second-hand smoke on physical health of unborn babies are already well documented; some recent studies have linked smoking with lower IQs. However, it is not clear from the findings that to what extent smoking affects IQ levels of kids and unborn babies. Research done in Finland associated prenatal smoking with sleep disorders in initial 12 years of children's age. A study exhibited that prenatal smoking exposure are associated with cerebellar volumes and smaller frontal lobe in brains of preterm infants. Reports further revealed that prenatal smoking influences cerebellar functions as attention, impulse control, and emotions.
If expectant ladies are exposed to air pollution, their children become five times more prone to developing ADHD or other behavioral problems. In most of the cases, compounds of second-hand smoke alter the way of brain development in the fetus. Researchers at Columbia University reported that the high level of air pollutants tend to change the brain's structure or functioning thereby increasing the risk of ADHD later in life. Children exposed to PAH( Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) in the womb may show the inattentiveness and lack of concentration. Tobacco smoke being the main source of PAH; the connection between behavioral abnormality and smoking can be well understood. According to AP medical report, researchers identified that there are more than double chances of developing ADHD syndrome in children who were exposed to tobacco smoke before birth.
Discussion and Limitation to Research Studies
Most of the research studies associate maternal active smoking to malicious effects on the fetus. However, researchers are also unanimous on the point that damage to the fetus and unborn babies also occur because of mother's exposure to second-hand smoke. Most of these studies, though, have not quantified the difference in effects of maternal smoking or second-hand smoking on unborn children.
Both, maternal and passive smoking, affect the development of the fetus and causes physical or mental deformities. However, the studies on maternal passive smoking used smaller sample sizes than active smoking. Though researchers identified that the effects of passive smoking on unborn babies are almost similar to active smoking by pregnant mothers, there may be the case that excess risks identified for passive smoking may be larger than estimated. For instance, studies have revealed that per natal mortality is 26 percent for active smoking but 60 percent for passive smoking. Likewise, risks for congenital abnormalities are 72 percent for passive smoking while it is 10-15 percent for active smoking. The author, thus, hints that there may be publication bias in studies related to passive smoking. There are further chances of errors in the consulted studies arising out of misclassification as some pregnant smokers misreport themselves as non-smokers and misreport their consumption. It may weaken the associations that studies have fetched between passive smoking and harms on fetus.
Irrespective of the chances of biases and errors, researchers agree on the point that passive smoking harms unborn babies physically as well as mentally. It is the reason that almost all studies indicate harmful consequences of tobacco smoke on unborn babies. The author, thus, recommends that it is better if pregnant women avoid exposure to second-hand smoke. However, he is strictly against active smoking by pregnant women.
President Obama himself referred to negative effects of smoking by expectant women while signing Tobacco Control Act in 2009. As mentioned by him, around 1000 infants die in a year in US because of mothers' active smoking. The author, thus, argues that if women deliberately smoke during pregnancy, it is almost similar to child abuse. Women exposure to tobacco smoke, though not in complete control, should be avoided as maximum as possible.
Having considered the research studies and interpreted the findings, the author argues that parental smoking is similar to child abuse. Irrespective of mother's active smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke, the unborn child is forced to inhale the tobacco that may be detrimental to his physical and mental well-being. Legal institutions have recognized parents' responsibilities to impart a healthy environment. On the other hand, children have an interest in the environment that supports and nurtures them that fulfills their mental and physical requirements during immaturity.
The definition of abuse includes physical injuries to the child by non-accidental means. As most of the tobacco impacts are physical and internal in nature, it can be considered as a child abuse. For instance, smoke may affect unborn baby's lungs, ears, heart, and other body parts. As the definition says, harms caused by tobacco smoke are not accidental and hence, passive smoking falls under the definition of child abuse. A judge in Tenessee court stated, "exposing a child with growing lungs to passive smoke is a form of child abuse"
Mothers must quit smoking during pregnancy. Researchers have pointed that NRT( Nicotine Replacement Therapy) has been a successful treatment since 20 years. NRT transfuses nicotine in the smokers' blood after he/she quits but not other harmful chemicals that may crop up severe health issues. Its success during pregnancy, however, is still not established. Researchers have still opined that benefits if using NRT therapy outweighs its risks. With NRT, levels of nicotine are reduced in the blood, and other harmful chemicals are avoided. Further research on NRT may highlight its efficacy and safety more clearly.
Conclusion
Passive smoking harms unborn babies in both ways, physically and mentally. There are high risks of low birth weight, premature birth, heart defects, respiratory defects, and related problems. Studies have also indicated the chances of behavioral issues, and concentration problems in children who were exposed to smoke before birth.
Though referred studies have attempted to compare results of maternal active smoking to that of passive smoking, it seems that there is publication bias to an extent. The author, thus, cautions the readers in calculating the magnitude of these effects. He, however, endorses the common findings that speak about negative impact of passive smoking on unborn children.
References
Anderson, J. D. (2009). Parental Smoking: A form of child abuse? Marqueete law review .
BBC News. (2011, March 12). Passive Smoking Increases Stillbirth Risk, Says Study. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from BBC.com: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-12711615
Johansson, A. (2004). Passive Smoking in Children. Faculty of Health Sciences, Division of Pediatrics.
Presant, C. A. (2014, November 17). Smokeout Time: Your Opportunity to Stop Smoking and Save Lives. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from huffingtonpost.com: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cary-a-presant-md/smokeout-time-your-opport_b_6130582.html
Tobacco Advisory Group. (2010). Passive Smoking and Children. London: Royal College of Physicians.
WebMD News. (2005, July 27). Secondhand Smoking May Harm Fetus Like Snoking. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from webmd.com: http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20050727/secondhand-smoke-may-harm-fetus-like-smoking
