For years researchers and scientists have warned about the dangers of smoking specifically during pregnancy as it is said to interfere with overall development of the fetus and a new research strengthens this by showing how harmful effects of smoking may be reflected in the facial movements of mothers’ unborn babies.
Researchers at Durhman and Lancaster universities analysed 4-d ultrasound scans and recorded thousands of tiny movements in the womb. The researchers studied scans at 24, 28, 32 and 36 weeks – a total of 80 4-d ultrasound scans of 20 fetuses to assess subtle mouth and touch movements.
Four of the fetuses belonged to mothers who smoked an average of 14 cigarettes per day, while the remaining 16 fetuses were being carried by mothers who were non-smokers. All fetuses were clinically assessed and were healthy when born, the researchers noted.
“Fetal facial movement patterns differ significantly between fetuses of mothers who smoked compared to those of mothers who didn’t smoke”, said Lead author Dr Nadja Reissland, in Durham University’s Department of Psychology.
She found that fetuses whose mothers were smokers showed a significantly higher rate of mouth movements than the normal declining rate of movements expected in a fetus during pregnancy. Fetuses usually move their mouths and touch themselves less as they gain more control the closer they get to birth.
“Our findings concur with others that stress and depression have a significant impact on fetal movements, and need to be controlled for, but additionally these results point to the fact that nicotine exposure per se has an effect on fetal development over and above the effects of stress and depression”, added Reissland.
Dr Reissland added that a larger study is needed to confirm these results and to investigate specific effects, including the interaction of maternal stress and smoking.
Researchers also found that like other studies, their study also showed that maternal stress and depression have a significant impact on fetal movements, but that the increase in mouth and touch movements was even higher in babies whose mothers smoked.
“Technology means we can now see what was previously hidden, revealing how smoking affects the development of the fetus in ways we did not realise. This is yet further evidence of the negative effects of smoking in pregnancy”, said Co-author Professor Brian Francis, of Lancaster University.
The research is published in the journal Acta Paediatrica.
