HHS HealthBeat (August 22, 2006)

Smoking mothers, difficult toddlers

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ray Sass with HHS HealthBeat.

Smoking during pregnancy may come back to haunt a mother as she raises her toddler. A report in the Journal of Child Development says the youngster may be more difficult to handle.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago studied one-year-olds. Some were exposed to smoke before birth and some were not.

Dr. Lauren Wakschlag says her study doesn't prove smoking during pregnancy caused behavior problems. But she says:

"Toddlers who were exposed were more likely to be aggressive, and very stubborn and defiant, and to have poorer social skills." (seven seconds)

Wakschlag says the children who were exposed to smoke before birth were nearly 12 times more likely to have behavior problems requiring treatment.

The bottom line? If you're pregnant, don't smoke.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ray Sass.

Last revised: May 7, 2011