One in ten women in Ireland continue to smoke during their pregnancy, with the majority blaming stress for their failure to kick the cigarettes while carrying a child.
According to the Growing Up in Ireland survey, the national longitudinal study of children, 13% of women smoked throughout the nine months of their pregnancy and were 70% less likely to quit if their partner continued to smoke. Poverty and poor education were more likely to factor into a woman’s decision to smoke, while the opposite is true when it comes to alcohol: women who drink during pregnancy were more likely to be well educated and better off financially.
Researchers warned that the decisions made by pregnant women could affect their children in the future: smoking has been proven to reduce the birth weight of newborns by up to a third of a kilo on average.
According to Prof Richard Layte of Trinity College: "Poor child and maternal environmental during pregnancy and infancy contributes to early ill health and may have life-long consequences. Investment in maternity services and community health services saves money in the short and long run."
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