Smoking while pregnant could hurt your child’s academic performance

Smoking negatively impacts nearly every part of your body but its effects are even more deadly when it comes to pregnant people. New research reveals that smoking during pregnancy not only harms the mother but also jeopardises the unborn child. While this has been known for a while, new research suggests that smoking while pregnant also leads the child to have poorer academic performance later in life.

In a review of 19 studies and 1.25 million participants, researchers at the University of South Australia, along with a team at Curtin University, SAHMRI, Harvard University and others* found that 79 percent of studies indicated a decline in academic achievement among children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy.

Additionally, a meta-analysis of eight primary studies involving 723,877 participants showed that children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were 49 per cent more likely to experience academic difficulties compared to those who were not exposed to prenatal smoking. In Australia, 8.7 per cent of mothers who gave birth in 2021—equating to 26,433 women—reported smoking at some point during their pregnancy.

Dr. Bereket Duko, the lead researcher from UniSA, emphasizes that despite extensive anti-smoking campaigns, smoking remains a widespread global health issue with persistent negative consequences. “For decades, agencies across the globe have pushed anti-smoking campaigns about the dangers of smoking. But despite these efforts, tobacco smoking remains a pervasive global public health issue.

We all want children to have the best start in life. But clearly, we must do better to educate mothers and families about the noxious effects of smoking while pregnant on mother and baby.

“Prenatal smoking is known to cause multiple pregnancy complications, including a higher risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, restricted growth and development, and serious birth defects. It is also linked with adverse mental health outcomes and behavioural issues.

“Our new research adds to this, by showing that maternal prenatal smoking has a significant risk of limiting a child’s academic performance, putting them well behind their peers at school.

“We all want children to have the best start in life. But clearly, we must do better to educate mothers and families about the noxious effects of smoking while pregnant on mother and baby.

“Remember, the fight against smoking is not one we have already won. Yes, we have made big steps to reduce the number of people smoking, and we have made many aware of the health risks. But this is an ongoing battle, and we must continue to educate people about the dangers of tobacco so that the next generations do not unnecessarily suffer.”

*Additional partners include the University of Iceland, the University of Queensland, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and the University of Sydney.