Smoking in pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy is an important cause of ill health for both mother and foetus. Besides increasing the mother's risk of potentially serious complications, smoking during pregnancy is the largest preventable cause of foetal and infant ill health and death.1 Smoking in pregnancy has been linked to problems such as premature birth, low birth weight, miscarriage and cot death. Stopping smoking while pregnant will make complications less likely.
Second-hand smoke
Babies and children who are exposed to a smoky atmosphere are at an increased risk of respiratory symptoms such as breathlessness, phlegm, coughing and wheezing.2 Moreover, parental smoking is an important cause of lower respiratory tract illness in infants and these children are more likely to be admitted to hospital in their first year of life. They are also more likely to develop ear conditions.
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