Smoking increases the risk of SIDS: research
09/17/01
The latest research on smoking during pregnancy has shown that it can almost treble the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and double the risk of a low birth weight baby.
Dr Raoul Walsh from the New South Wales Cancer Council was part of an Australian group which reviewed studies on 10 pregnancy-related diseases.
Doctor Walsh says the mean reduction in birth weight of the babies of smoking mothers was 200 grams.
He says smoking during pregnancy is associated with a whole range of negative outcomes.
"Right from the point of increased spontaneous abortions, through to increases in still birth placental problems, and then after birth increases in things like SIDS," he said.