Smoking During Pregnancy Significantly More Harmful to Baby Than Previously Thought

(Patria) - The latest research has shown that smoking is twice as harmful to a baby's health than previously thought, while coffee and tea do not have such a negative impact.

Smoking and large amounts of caffeine (more than two cups of instant coffee per day) have so far been linked to an increased risk of pregnancy complications, premature birth, and fetal growth restriction.

However, a new study conducted at the University of Cambridge found no evidence that above-average caffeine intake during pregnancy is associated with premature birth or poorer baby growth.

Women who smoke during pregnancy, the study results showed, have three times the risk of premature birth compared to non-smokers.

As The Guardian reports, it was also found that babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are four times more likely to be small for their gestational age, which could lead to serious complications such as breathing problems and various infections.

This research, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, examined smoking metabolites (cotinine) and caffeine (paraxanthine) in blood samples from more than 900 women who participated in the Pregnancy Outcome Prediction study between 2008 and 2012.

The researchers analyzed the levels of cotinine and paraxanthine found in the blood at 12, 20, 28, and 36 weeks of pregnancy and classified the women's exposure to smoking and caffeine consumption accordingly.

Although caffeine was not shown to cause premature birth, this does not mean that pregnant women can now drink large amounts of espresso.

Previous research has shown that very high caffeine intake is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage and perinatal death, reports tportal.

- We only studied women with above-average levels of caffeine metabolites, but not those who drank extremely large amounts of caffeine.

Therefore, these results do not suggest that we should change the current recommended amounts of caffeine (up to two cups per day) - said Professor Gordon Smith from the University of Cambridge.

Another study from the University of Essex recently showed that pregnant women have twice the risk of miscarriage if they or their partners lose their jobs.