Maternal smoking during pregnancy, although common in France, is a cause of complications for the mother and child. The potential effects of smoking on the emotional and behavioral development of children are still debated in the scientific literature. We therefore studied this question using data from the EDEN mother-child cohort.
To do this, we analyzed data on children's emotional and behavioral symptoms using repeated measurement of a score by parents (SDQ score at 3, 5.5, 8 and 11.5 years). We then identified groups of children with similar symptom score profiles called trajectories. This approach revealed three developmental trajectories corresponding to high, intermediate or low levels of emotional and behavioral symptoms in children.
The study aimed to examine the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and trajectories of emotional and behavioral symptoms in children. We studied maternal smoking in two ways: the amount of tobacco smoked per day as well as the period of exposure to smoking (non-smoker, smoker during the period from 3 months before to 3 months after the start of pregnancy or smoker throughout pregnancy)
The results initially showed that children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy had higher levels of emotional and behavioral symptoms. However, after taking into account other factors such as household income, level of education, family status or child's sex, there was no longer an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and child developmental disorders. With the exception of women who smoked at least 10 cigarettes per day and who seemed more likely to have children with intermediate levels of conduct disorder, even taking into account other factors that may be involved.
Maternal smoking during pregnancy and its consequences remain a complex problem that can be influenced by several factors, including the socio-economic context of the parents and family history. Therefore, multidimensional approaches are needed to address this issue effectively.
If the relationship between maternal smoking and child behavior problems seems to be largely explained by other factors, heavy maternal smoking (≥ 10 cigarettes per day) during the first trimester of pregnancy seems to be associated with child behavior problems. In addition, other consequences of maternal smoking during pregnancy are scientifically proven and should encourage the development of targeted interventions aimed at supporting pregnant women in quitting smoking, with the goal of improving the overall health of the population.
Author(s) : KIM BONELLO
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