MRCP UK EXAMINATIONS

Detailed explanation-1: -Smoking during pregnancy can cause tissue damage in the unborn baby, particularly in the lung and brain, and some studies suggests a link between maternal smoking and cleft lip. Studies also suggest a relationship between tobacco and miscarriage.

Detailed explanation-2: -More than 7, 000 babies are born in the U.S. each year born with an oral cleft birth defect and smoking increases the risk by 30 to 50 percent; this increased risk can be prevented by quitting smoking.

Detailed explanation-3: -Based on their data, published in the January issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, the scientists calculated that if a pregnant woman smokes 15 cigarettes or more per day, the chances of her GSTT1-lacking fetus developing a cleft increase nearly 20 fold.

Detailed explanation-4: -Nicotine changes newborn behavior in ways similar to heroin and crack. For the first time, researchers report that nicotine exposure in the womb produces behavioral changes in babies similar to those found in newborns of women who use crack cocaine or heroin during pregnancy.