SMOKING during pregnancy not only harms the mother's health but also has significant negative effects on the unborn child, with new research indicating it may lead to reduced academic outcomes.
A review involving 19 studies and 1.25 million participants, conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia, Curtin University, SAHMRI, Harvard University, and others, found that 79% reported lower academic achievement in kids exposed to prenatal smoking.
Further meta-analysis of eight primary studies, including 723,877 participants, revealed that children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy were 49% more likely to struggle academically compared to those not exposed.
In Australia, 8.7% of all mothers who gave birth in 2021 smoked during their pregnancy, equating to 26,433 women.
Lead researcher, Dr Bereket Duko from UniSA, emphasised the persistent dangers of smoking despite long-standing public health campaigns.
"Prenatal smoking is linked to multiple pregnancy complications and now, as our research shows, can significantly hinder a child's academic performance," stressed Dr Duko.
"The fight against smoking is ongoing, and while we have made strides in reducing its rates, it's clear that more needs to be done to protect future generations from these preventable harms," he said.
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