Miriam study: smoking during pregnancy alters newborn DNA

PROVIDENCE – Researchers from The Miriam Hospital recently published their study on the effects of smoking during pregnancy and its impact on the stress response in newborn babies.

Their research indicates that newborns of mothers who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy show lower levels of stress hormones, lowered stress response, and alterations in DNA for a gene that regulates passage of stress hormones from mother to fetus. The study and its findings have been published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

“Our results suggest that these newborns may not be mounting adequate hormonal response to daily stressors. Their stress systems may not be prepared for the stressors of daily life,” said lead researcher Laura Stroud, of the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at The Miriam Hospital. “This may be particularly detrimental in babies born to mothers who lack resources and parenting skills and whose babies may encounter more daily stressors.”

National health statistics show that despite the warnings and known health risks, approximately one in 10 expectant moms in the United States continue to smoke during pregnancy, with higher rates among young, poor, and underserved moms.

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