Canadian researchers have examined the link between smoking during pregnancy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in premature babies. The study was conducted at the University of Calvary in Alberta, Canada. A double risk was found among women who smoke during pregnancy.
The researchers studied the breathing reflexes in two groups of preterm babies, those with mothers who smoked during pregnancy and babies of non smoking mothers. They found the breathing reflexes in the group of preterm babies with smoking mothers to be consistent with a higher risk of SIDS.
For the study, researchers took a baseline reading of all the babies in the study for breathing rate, recovery rate and heart rate. Then they reduced the oxygen the babies were receiving and took the measurements again. They found the group of smoking mothers had babies who had a reduced heart rate when the oxygen was reduced and a slower recovery time when normal oxygen levels were returned.
The second risk factor was the greater likelihood of delivering a preterm baby. Smokers are at a higher risk of having a preterm baby than non smoking women. Preterm birth is considered a risk factor for SIDS. When their babies are born early, they have less developed breathing reflexes, which further increases their risk of SIDS.
Researchers hope the information learned in this study can be used to save babies. The data can be used to identify babies most at risk and then provide monitoring at home to prevent SIDS in these at risk babies.
As if there weren’t already many reasons to quit smoking, this has to be enough to motivate mothers to kick the habit. If you smoke and are pregnant, speak to your health care provider. There are methods that can safely be used during pregnancy to help you quit smoking. This is one of the greatest gifts you can give your baby.
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