Healthier babies for non-smokers

11:57am Friday 14th March 2008

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WOMEN who quit smoking during pregnancy can expect to have a well-behaved, happier and more relaxed baby, according to York scientists.

Smoking has long been known to be linked to smaller, less healthy babies, who have an increased risk of cot death.

But this is the first time that smoking in pregnancy has been shown to have an impact on the baby's mental health.

The University of York study assessed the temperaments of 18,000 British children aged nine months.

It revealed that kicking the habit in pregnancy boosted the chances of giving birth to a baby with a sunnier nature, with regular sleeping and eating patterns.

Women who failed to give up cigarettes were more likely to have difficult, more moody children.

Dr Kate Pickett, who led the research, said the reason was that women who were able to resist the temptation to smoke during pregnancy were more likely to have more positive personalities.

She said: "Giving up smoking during pregnancy is associated with an urge to protect the baby.

"It indicates the capacity to adapt to different circumstances and the ability to plan and delay gratification.

"It may be that these are genetic traits that are passed on to their children, or it may be that they are reflected in their parenting."

The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, assessed infants' temperaments with scales designed to pick up positive mood, receptivity to new things, and eating and sleeping patterns.

It found that children of the quitters had the lowest chances of unpredictable behaviour, or of becoming distressed when faced with new situations.

Women who smoked heavily in pregnancy - more than ten cigarettes a day - had the most difficult infants with the worst moods.

In York and North Yorkshire, 16 per cent of women smoke during pregnancy.

Bosses at the local NHS trust are working hard to bring this figure down to 13 per cent by 2010.

Health improvement principal at North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust Katie Needham said: "We take this very seriously and we're looking into providing specialised training for midwives in York.

"Women who smoke in pregnancy have a 26 per cent increased risk of miscarrying or experiencing a still birth. Their babies are also more likely to be admitted to hospital for pneumonia in their first year of life."