Smoking in Pregnancy:
Exposure to smoking and tobacco smoke during pregnancy has long been recognised within scientific research as having a detrimental impact on both mother and developing foetus, with each cigarette containing over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are understood to be dangerous.
While research associated with the impact of smoking on unborn babies and children is widespread, new research has sought to shed new light on the impact of tobacco smoke on breast milk composition.
The Research:
This most recent study, conducted in Iran and published in the journal Scientific Reports, set out to compare and define levels of ‘micro-elements’ and toxic chemicals found in the breast milk of women that had experienced varying levels of tobacco smoke exposure while pregnant.
The research involved 100 women, all of whom had experienced uncomplicated pregnancies and had healthy infants. These women were separated into three distinct categories: passive smokers (those who had been exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke during pregnancy), active smokers (those who had smoked themselves during pregnancy), and a control group (non-smokers with limited or no exposure to tobacco smoke).
In order to measure the levels of chemicals within breast milk, researchers used ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry).
Results of Research:
The results of the research were both significant and concerning, revealing that active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke correlated directly with an increased level of toxic chemicals within breast milk.
Across the sample, levels of mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic (exposure to which has been associated with negative foetal health and infant development) were found to be notably higher in breast milk from women who had experienced passive or active exposure to tobacco smoke in comparison to those with no known exposure.
Of particular concern was cadmium, a metal not dissimilar to lead or mercury and that is believed to affect the metabolism of nutrients critical for infant development. While this particular metal can enter a newborn’s body through various means, the results of the research indicate that smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke second-hand could significantly increase exposure to cadmium directly via breast milk.
Next Steps:
These latest research findings work to both support existing research surrounding the potential dangers of smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and build on these by suggesting that such exposure also has a significant impact on the composition of breast milk.
While the research emphasises the need for increased awareness and education for expectant mothers surrounding smoking and second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke, it also acknowledges the importance of further research to understand the potential toxic mechanisms of these elements and calls for larger studies to confirm and extend these findings.
