­A new study at Stanford University is examining the effects of smoking on the healing ability of babies’ hearts. Researchers aimed to discover the specific dangers of smoking when pregnant, and the results were quite unsettling. It is yet another reminder of how smoking can be detrimental to the health of a new mom and her baby.

Despite the warnings of medical professionals, many women in the United States still smoke during pregnancy. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 7.2% of women who gave birth that year smoked while they were still carrying the baby. Tobacco use during pregnancy has been linked with many negative effects, especially on the baby. These risks include preterm birth, low birth weight, increased defects of the mouth and lip, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The study was conducted on neonatal mice and observed the effects of cigarette smoke on the offspring. It’s important to note that the findings from this study may not immediately translate to humans, but they do aim to help scientists advance their knowledge of the possibility of adult human heart regeneration. Mice have been observed to regenerate their hearts after an injury, and researchers wanted to study this similar trait in some neonatal human hearts; they may still regenerate after injuries like heart attacks.

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Researchers found that exposing the mice to daily cigarette smoke “significantly compromised” their ability to repair their hearts. Those that breathed only filtered air had no issues with their cardiac regeneration. If scientists are able to translate their findings to humans, then the findings can reinforce medical advice against tobacco consumption during pregnancy. Infants in the womb may still have the ability to regenerate their cardiac tissues, but when exposed to consistent cigarette smoke, this possibility diminishes significantly.

Further research into the specifics of cardiac regeneration is needed, but this study was an important step towards fully understanding it. Substance use during pregnancy is known to negatively impact both the mothers’ and the baby’s health, and studies like these allow us to pinpoint exactly what may happen. By knowing the potential effects, medical professionals in the future can help more moms through their pregnancies.

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