SUMMARY: Smoking During Pregnancy and Newborn Neurobehavior

The source I will be summarizing comes from an article in Pediatrics, the Official Journal Of The American Academy of Pediatrics. The article, “Smoking During Pregnancy and Newborn Neurobehavior,” reported a study of the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy and its relation to newborn neurobehavior. The study included a sample of 27 nicotine exposed, and 29 unexposed full-term infants with no medical problems, all coming from comparable social class backgrounds. Mothers were not allowed to use of any other illegal drugs, during pregnancy.

Cigarette use was self-reported, and mothers were encouraged to admit smoking patterns. In order to increase accuracy, nicotine exposure was determined by cotinine in maternal saliva in order to confirm what was actually reported. The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) was used to measure neurobehavioral function and was administered by masked examiners. All infants born to mothers in this study were tested before hospital discharge, therefore eliminating any factors related to second hand smoke inhalation, and its possible effects on neurobehavior.

The results reported significant differences between the two groups of infants. Those infants born to mothers who smoked reported to be more excitable and hypertonic, required more handling and showed more stress/absence signs in three main areas; the central nervous system, gastrointestinal, and visual areas. A higher amount of maternal salivary cotinine was related to greater signs of stress, including excitability, and visual stress in infants. Basically, the more cigarettes smoked, the greater amount of stress associated with the newborn. As a result of prenatal tobacco exposure on newborn neurobehavior, the study suggests the relationship could be an indication of neonatal withdrawal from nicotine.

CITATION:
Law, Karen L., et al. "Smoking During Pregnancy and Newborn Neurobehavior."
Pediatrics 111.6 (2003): 1318-1323. 24 January 2007 http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/111/6/1318.

Exploring the research topic: Effects of Smoking on Fetal Development

I am interested in researching the effects of maternal smoking and pregnancy. I know, as most of us do, that smoking is unhealthy, however I do not know in what specific areas it effects the unborn fetus. I would like to explore the topic to see where I find the most evidence and how maternal smoking is negatively linked to the development of her unborn baby. I am also interested in learning about any developmental issues in children after they are born to mothers who smoked while pregnant.

Does smoking while pregnant have any effects on breast feeding? What are some evident side effects to those infants who are born to mothers that smoked while pregnant? Can a baby become addicted to nicotine and suffer withdrawals once born? These are just a few questions I have considered, and in looking for the answers, along with any others I find, I can narrow my focus in order to put together a well organized, easy to follow persuasive research paper.

I do not have any children of my own, nor do I smoke, however I have a sister that is 4 months pregnant who has not yet quit smoking. She does not think there is anything wrong with having a cigarette every once in a while, but I try to convince her otherwise. I feel this research paper will allow me to show her evidence of the negative ways she is effecting her unborn baby, and hopefully it will be enough to make her stop. She uses the excuse that my mother smoked with three of us, and "we are all fine" (There are five of us all together). I just don't agree and want to persuade her to see my point so that she can stop putting her baby in danger, before it's too late, if it isn't already.