A new study indicates that smoking during pregnancy can have bad effects on
the cardiovascular health of offspring. Researchers treated pregnant rats with
nicotine, then tested the heart function of the babies three months after
delivery. They found that nicotine decreased coronary blood flow in the female
rats. Both male and female rats were more susceptible to heart injury. No
word yet on why female rats fared worse. Just add it to the list of messed up
things women have to deal with, like salary inequity and mom pants.
The study is part of new research called “fetal programming of
cardiovascular disease” which looks at a number of things during fetal
development that affect long term heart health. And of course, previous studies
have showed smoking is not so good for developing fetuses. It has been tied to
a higher rate of SIDS and to asthma, as well as a greater risk of heart disease
into adulthood.
But if you didn’t know about the problems with smoking and pregnancy, here’s
a few more things pregnant women should avoid: drinking lye; swordplay; sucking
on car tailpipes; riding mechanical bulls; K-Fed and Eddie Murphy; eating mysterious mushrooms
you found in the woods; and crack.
