New research reported by Reuters shows that poor women are more likely to smoke while pregnant and this increases their risk of having a stillborn infant. The research, conducted by the University of Oxford, also found that socioeconomic class does play a role in whether or not a woman smokes during her pregnancy. Deprivation and poverty already have a clear connection to stillbirths and infant deaths, but now there is also an established connection between smoking during pregnancy and infant mortality.
Researchers conducted a study of the records of babies born in Scottish hospitals between 1994 and 2003 and found that 38% of the women living in the most deprived neighborhoods admitted to smoking while they were pregnant. This, in comparison to 13% of the women living in the least deprived neighborhoods who admitted to smoking, is a major factor and difference maker in a baby’s well-being because stillbirths were 56% more common among the most deprived and smoking group of women. This group of women also had a 72% greater change of their babies dying before the age of 1.
Dr. Ron Gray of the University of Oxford, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health that "nicotine is a very addictive substance and it's very difficult to stop smoking at any time, especially during pregnancy. Clearly people need a lot of help to do this. There needs to be more investment in these kinds of services."
Read the full story as published in ABC News here.
I feel, though many do not, this should be a common sense study. It has been told so many different times and so many different ways that smoking is not good for you, nor those who you surround yourself with. In fact, second hand smoke is more detrimental than smoking itself. Therefore, it is a very selfish hobby. With that said, with findings like this, what are they doing to help lower those numbers? Are there going to be any advertisements out describing how serious this is, or are they just going to let a study be a study. Don't you think some sort of class, should be implemented to further inform women about how bad this is for their unborn children? I feel as though this class should even be free! If it is going to save or improve the lives of unborn children what is stopping us from intervening?
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