A few months ago Eva told us about a study in Canada that pointed out that the effect of nicotine on the body of the pregnant smoker is related to an increased risk of sudden death in babies.
Tobacco was previously discussed as a circumstance closely linked to sudden death syndrome. In fact, the advocates of the colecho consider that their practice is insecure when the mother smokes because it increases the risk five times.
A new research done with rats has just come to light, also in Canada, at the University of Calgary, which once again points to the mother's smoking as a risk factor for sudden death, being the first study that provides the most evidence Direct cause and effect.
As you have seen, exposure to cigarette smoke in the womb would alter respiratory responses to thermal stress and hypoxia In the first years of life. That is, the baby of a smoking mother would not respond equally to the lack of oxygen and heat from high temperatures (due to very warm sleep) than a child whose mother has not smoked.
To reach this conclusion, they divided the rats into two groups. One was left exposed to the air in the room while the other was exposed to cigarette smoke equivalent to a daily package.
When placed under conditions of insufficient oxygen in a neutral temperature environment, none of those in the first group had trouble breathing while 25 percent of the rats exposed to cigarette smoke did.
Under conditions of hyperthermia (excess heat), 29 percent of the first group compared to 49 percent of the second suffered breathing problems.
As explained, this is the first "relevant evidence" that cigarette smoke during pregnancy affects the crisis of lack of oxygen and the baby's ability to regulate his body temperature.
While scientists continue to investigate the causes of this syndrome that worries many parents, little by little we know the risks that we should avoid to reduce the chances of it happening.
