Effects of pollution and tobacco on the baby

Environmental pollution and tobacco are airway irritants that can lead to the incidence of coughs and asthma in children. In urban areas, pollutants are produced by motor vehicles and factories. In rural areas, pesticides and the burning of some substances such as coal or wood are also harmful.

Exposure to tobacco smoke

Passive smoking in babies refers to the inhalation of combustion products of tobacco smoked by people in their environment. Tobacco smoke is one of the most widespread and harmful pollutants for health. In 2002, the WHO International Agency for Research on cancer declared that exposure to air polluted by tobacco smoke causes cancer.

Tobacco smoke is a combination of more than 4,000 toxic chemicals and includes at least 42 cancer-causing components. It is not surprising that the inhalation of tobacco, even in small quantities, has important consequences for the health of the child. Most of the toxic substances (85%) are found in cigarette combustion and 15% are found in the smoke exhaled by the smoker.

Some of the components of cigarette combustion are: ammonia, nicotine, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, toluene, hydrocyanide, vinyl chloride, benzene or carbon monoxide.

Effects of tobacco smoke during pregnancy

Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to have preterm labor and a low-birth-weight baby.

Effects of tobacco smoke on the baby

In industrialized countries, passive smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in children.

Increasing importance is being given to the impact of passive smoking on children and adults. In most scientific studies in children, a relationship between passive smoking and childhood diseases has been found.

Children exposed to tobacco smoke more often suffer from respiratory infections (pneumonia and bronchitis) and asthma. They are also more likely to have acute otitis media.

Passive smoking in babies is a risk factor for sudden infant death.

Prevention

The best prevention is parental quitting to avoid exposure to tobacco smoke in the home.