Smoking during pregnancy causes long-term effects

A new study in experimental mice provides strong evidence that smoking during pregnancy can have a long-term adverse effect on the development of cardiovascular children. Scientists from Loma Linda University, California, found adult children of mouse mothers exposed to nicotine during pregnancy showed a clear heart rhythm disorder.

The team exposed the mice to nicotine during pregnancy and lasted up to 10 days after birth. They then assessed the heart function of the pups at the age of 3 months (ie adult), both the male and the male.

Zhang's team observed that mice that " inhaled " nicotine from the womb had a significant decrease in coronary blood flow. In addition, all groups of pups (whether male or female) exposed to nicotine before birth have a higher risk of heart damage. Again, the effect of nicotine on females is also more common in males.

"Right now, we don't know why this sexual orientation is, with children being more sensitive than males," Zhang said.

This study forces people to think about the dangers of smoking among women during pregnancy. For example, a 2004 report found that women who smoke during pregnancy give birth to babies at a much higher risk of sudden death.

T. An