Key Takeaways

Research has long shown that smoking during pregnancy can greatly increase the risks of birth defects.A new study analyzing the outcomes of more than 9 million participants provides further evidence of the adverse outcomes associated with tobacco use during pregnancy.

The study, published in theJournal of Perinatal Medicine, examined the delivery outcomes in over 400,000 smokers and 8.6 million non-smokers in the United States between 2004 and 2014.

They also discovered a 40% increased risk of premature birth and a 50% increased risk of rupturing the amniotic sac surrounding the fetus before labor begins.

“Smoking is also associated with congenital malformations and has a negative impact on fetal neurocognitive development,” Ido Feferkorn, MD, a researcher at theMcGill University Health Care Centerand a co-author of the study, tells Verywell. “Regarding complications to the mother, an increased risk of wound complications and the need forhysterectomyamong the smokers was found.”

What Is HysterectomyA hysterectomy is the surgical removal of auterus. In some cases, other reproductive organs like ovaries and cervix may also be removed during this procedure.

What Is Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of auterus. In some cases, other reproductive organs like ovaries and cervix may also be removed during this procedure.

“The study is impressive because of its size,”Caitlin Dunne, MD, a fertility specialist and co-director of the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM), tells Verywell. “In a practical sense, this data matters to doctors because we know more about what to look out for as we care for pregnant patients.”

Smoking Reduced Certain Risks Slightly, But It Doesn’t Mean You Should Start

But researchers warned that the lower rate of preeclampsia could simply be related to lower birth weight of the babies among smokers.

The risks associated with smoking during pregnancy still far outweigh any perceived “benefits," Dunne explains.

“I should point out that this doesnotmean that the authors believe smoking is beneficial,” she says. “These findings may just be a consequence of doing a very large database study without having detailed information about the context of each pregnancy.”

Dunne also points out that large association studies like this one don’t necessarily infer causation, but they can help guide future research that will hone in on the finer details of cause and effect.

What This Means For You

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Knopik VS.Maternal smoking during pregnancy and child outcomes: real or spurious effect?Developmental Neuropsychology. 34(1):1-36. doi:10.1080/87565640802564366Feferkorn I, Badeghiesh A, Baghlaf H, Dahan MH.The relation between cigarette smoking with delivery outcomes. An evaluation of a database of more than nine million deliveries.Journal of Perinatal Medicine. doi:10.1515/jpm-2021-0053

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Knopik VS.Maternal smoking during pregnancy and child outcomes: real or spurious effect?Developmental Neuropsychology. 34(1):1-36. doi:10.1080/87565640802564366Feferkorn I, Badeghiesh A, Baghlaf H, Dahan MH.The relation between cigarette smoking with delivery outcomes. An evaluation of a database of more than nine million deliveries.Journal of Perinatal Medicine. doi:10.1515/jpm-2021-0053

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Knopik VS.Maternal smoking during pregnancy and child outcomes: real or spurious effect?Developmental Neuropsychology. 34(1):1-36. doi:10.1080/87565640802564366Feferkorn I, Badeghiesh A, Baghlaf H, Dahan MH.The relation between cigarette smoking with delivery outcomes. An evaluation of a database of more than nine million deliveries.Journal of Perinatal Medicine. doi:10.1515/jpm-2021-0053

Knopik VS.Maternal smoking during pregnancy and child outcomes: real or spurious effect?Developmental Neuropsychology. 34(1):1-36. doi:10.1080/87565640802564366

Feferkorn I, Badeghiesh A, Baghlaf H, Dahan MH.The relation between cigarette smoking with delivery outcomes. An evaluation of a database of more than nine million deliveries.Journal of Perinatal Medicine. doi:10.1515/jpm-2021-0053

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