Pregnant Teens Taking Up Smoking to Have Smaller Babies

The ill-effects of smoking during pregnancy are well-known. But in spite of that, women in Australia are getting very much involved in this habit just in fear of having larger babies, said a new study.

A decade-old Australian study reported that pregnant women were more concerned about giving birth to heavier babies than the side-effects of cigarettes such as miscarriage, stillbirth, developmental delays, etc.

‘Pregnant teens who fear to deliver heavier babies are taking up smoking to reduce the birth weight of their babies.’

Many young girls aged 16-18 years started smoking to have smaller babies because warnings on the cigarette packets indicated that smoking can reduce the birth weight of babies.

Associate Professor Simone Dennis of the Australian National University said, "They had read on packets that smoking can reduce the birth weight of your baby, which is obviously not how the public health message is intended to be taken."

Source: Medindia