The children of women who smoke while breastfeeding are more likely to suffer serious health issues later in life, according to new research published today.
Cardiovascular disease, hypothyroidism, obesity and diabetes are just some of the problems children are more likely to face if they are exposed to nicotine in breast milk.
The study, published in the Journal of Endocrinology, saw researchers at the State University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil examine the effects of nicotine exposure on baby rats. The team discovered that rats exposed to nicotine via an implant in their mothers had lower thyroid hormone levels than the baby rats of “non-smoking” mothers.
Dr Patricia Lisboa, who led the study commented: “We have shown that even a small period of nicotine exposure during breastfeeding can permanently damage the future health of a child.
“Smoking during breastfeeding can be as dangerous to offspring as smoking during pregnancy.”
Quitting time
When you smoke, you breathe in nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide as well as around 4,000 other chemicals, many of them poisonous – like arsenic, ammonia and benzene. Babies exposed to cigarette smoke are more likely to get middle ear infections and ‘glue ear’, which can cause partial deafness. The babies of smokers are more susceptible to asthma and chest infections and three-and-a-half times more likely to get meningitis. For support, advice and information on how you can quit smoking, visit Quit.ie.
