| Whilst most women are aware of the negative | | | | to ensure that higher amounts of vitamin C during |
| effects smoking whilst pregnant can have on their | | | | pregnancy doesn't cause other unwanted effects. |
| developing baby, many still cannot give up. The good | | | | The researchers did stress that despite the positive |
| news is that researchers believe that taking vitamin C | | | | benefits of vitamin C during pregnancy, it did not |
| can counteract some of these effects. | | | | counteract all of smoking's negative effects on the |
| Smoking during pregnancy can lead to premature | | | | fetus. For example, lower body weight and nicotine's |
| delivery of the baby, poor growth, and in some | | | | effect on brain development were still a potential issue. |
| instances, is implicated in fetal deaths. It can also affect | | | | Another benefit of taking vitamin C during pregnancy is |
| the way the infant's lungs develop, as nicotine can | | | | that it may decrease the chance of their waters |
| cross the placenta. As a result, babies may have less | | | | breaking too early. This is true for all women |
| lung function and develop more respiratory illnesses. | | | | irrespective of whether they are smokers or not. This |
| But a group of researchers at the Oregon Health | | | | research was done by a team in Mexico at the |
| & Science University found that in baby monkeys | | | | National Institute of Perinatology, this time on humans. |
| given both nicotine and vitamin C, the flow of air in the | | | | The women in this study were either given a placebo |
| lungs was close to normal. There were three groups | | | | or 100mg of vitamin C per day. And the group who |
| of pregnant monkeys in the study - one group was | | | | received the vitamin C had a lot less instances where |
| given only nicotine, one given neither nicotine nor | | | | their waters broke early. This meant less premature |
| vitamin C, and one group given both. The nicotine given | | | | births with the associated risk of infections. |
| was comparable to that which a pregnant mother | | | | The women in the study received the vitamin C from |
| would smoke. The group given nothing acted as the | | | | the 20th week of pregnancy until they gave birth. |
| control group. | | | | Vitamin C helps maintain the collagen in the |
| Whilst this study was done on monkeys, the team | | | | membranes that hold the amniotic fluid in place. |
| behind the study believe that the results are very | | | | References: |
| relevant to humans. But more work needs to be done | | | | 1. nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=59359 |
| to determine how much vitamin C is needed for | | | | 2. nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp? |
| smoking pregnant mothers to get similar benefits. And | | | | |