Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
27 November 2015 09:28
Over one in four pregnant women live with a smoker
Exposure to passive smoking increases the chances of pregnant women having their babies prematurely, a new study suggests.
Researchers say they found exposure to secondary smoke during pregnancy also makes it likelier that women will have smaller babies.
The team at the University of Bristol studied over 5,000 women who had a baby in the city over a two-year period.
They looked at how much carbon monoxide the women were exhaling during the early stages of pregnancy as well as details about their exposure to secondary smoke. They also took the women's age, ethnic background, weight and employment status into account.
The team found that non-smoking pregnant women that lived with people who smoked were likelier to have their babies sooner than those who did not have a smoker in their household.
While around one in seven women carry on smoking while pregnant, more than a quarter live with someone who smokes.
The findings offer more food for thought to busy mums-to-be, who can insure themselves while on holiday with a pregnancy travel insurance policy.
The research team say the impact on babies born to passive smokers is smaller than on those whose mothers smoke themselves. But they add that more pregnant women are affected by passive smoking.
Researcher Dr Rachel Ion says while most women are aware of the dangers posed by smoking during pregnancy, it appears more work is required to educate women, their families and their friends about the impact of passive smoking.
She adds that the findings suggest more should be done to implement measures designed to cut women's exposure to secondary smoke when they are pregnant.
Premature births are said to account for over a million deaths a year around the world with many of the babies who do survive facing long-term problems such as breathing difficulties, and cerebral palsy and costly healthcare.
The study has been published in the Reproductive Sciences online journal.
20 November 2018
Health officials are hoping blood donors keep their appointments in the run-up to Christmas to avoid stocks running low over the festive period.
[more...]
17 November 2018
London Stansted could soon welcome 43 million passengers a year, after a bid to raise its capacity was approved by the local council.
16 November 2018
Switching to a diet low in carbohydrates could see people lose up to 10kg over a three-year period, according to new research.
15 November 2018
Smokers who regularly use vapers are more likely to try and quit smoking for good, new research has suggested.
14 November 2018
Leukaemia patients are now a step closer to personalised treatments after a British study looked at the role gene mutations play in blood cancers.
13 November 2018
A quick scan of the blood vessels in a patient's neck could soon be a critical part of future dementia screening, new research has suggested.
10 November 2018
The NHS spends more than £1 billion a year on prescriptions for people with diabetes, new figures show.
09 November 2018
Woman who smoke, have diabetes, or high blood pressure are more likely to suffer a heart attack than men with the same risk factors, a new study claims.
08 November 2018
Millions of UK pensioners feel they don't have anyone they can turn to for help, a leading charity has warned.
07 November 2018
Over a quarter of medical workers are still reluctant to recommend e-cigarettes to smokers despite being told to do so by health authorities, a new survey has revealed.
06 November 2018
A new direct flight between Manchester and Mumbai could boost the economy of northern England to the tune of £400 million, a new report suggests.
02 November 2018
Air travellers could soon face restrictions on the amount of alcohol they can drink before flying, under plans currently being considered by the government.