Students to begin battle against mom's cigarette...

The Indian Express, Express Newsline, New Delhi , December 16, 2000
‘Their babies have low IQ, chest probelms’

Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to vomit, have urinary infections give birth to low weight babies.

They are likely to have babies with much smaller airways, which constrict breathing. Coupled with rising broncho-allergies like asthma, this can be fatal.

Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to miscarriages, cot deaths and chest problems, including greater respiratory tract infections and higher risk of asthma.

Studies show that male foetuses are likely to be aborted faster than female ones if the mother smokes or is exposed to passive smoking.

Passive smoking causes impotence, infertility, stillbirth, and low birth weight, leading to disorders like low IQ and poor lung capacity.

SMOKER mums can be come smoking guns for their babies if they do not quit the habit. A study found that babies of smoker mothers have much smaller airways than average. The small airways constrict breathing, decreasing airflow by about 25 percent, reported researchers from the Institute of Child Health in London this week. Coupled with rising broncho-allergies like asthma, such airway construction can be fatal.

There are other problems too associated with pregnant women who smoke or are passive smokers. Pregnant woman who smoke are more likely to vomit, have urinary infections and give birth to low weight babies.

The British Thoracic Society is now calling for the British Government to put in greater effort to help people- especially pregnant women- quit the addictive habit.

In Delhi, students from 31 private and Government schools will also be helping people do just that- but in a colourful way. Schools such as Amity International, Mother’s International, Lady Irwin, St. Colmba’s and Government Coed School, Lajpat Nagar, will kickstart a community camppaign-”Hurnne Seekha Hai”- from January to increase public awareness on the health risks associated with tobacco addiction.

“The idea is to share with the community what they have learnt in school, so that people don’t get the feeling of being talked down to,” says Dr Srinath Reddy, project coordinator for the International Institute on Cardiovascular Health in Developing Countries.

“Passive smoking starts even before conception and cause impotence, infertility, stillbirth, and low birth-weight. This exposes the baby to many disorders like low IQ and poor lung capacity,” adds Reddy who is also the cardiology professor at All India Institute of Medical Science.

Agrees Mira Aghi, a consultant with USAID on tobacco use and abuse among women and children. “Studies in Bangladesh and by Dr Sarala Krishnamurthy at the Cancer Hospital in Manipal have shown that male foetuses are likely to be aborted faster than female ones if the mother smokes or is exposed to passive smoking,: Aghi says.

In the UK research, the extent of airway damage was deducted after researchers from the Institute of Child Health studied 355 pregnant women. Besides body weight, the height of babies of smokers was also found to be “significantly lower”, especially if the women were smoking while they were pregnant.

Previous studies have also declared that smoking during pregnancy is bad for health of both the mother and child. It has been linked to miscarriages, cot deaths and chest problems, including greater respiratory tract infections and higher risk of asthma.

In Delhi, students will adopt bus stops and markets around their schools and put up posters there to inform people about the economic and health risks of tobacco consumption.
From the 31 schools participating in the project, three posters each on the tobacco theme were exhibited at Amity International on Monday. Students from these schools will also be putting up a street play on tobacco consumption in public places like Dilli Haat in January and February. The project will then be expanded to include other social and health issues.