In brief... Smoking during pregnancy
Women who smoke in early pregnancy should not be written off as 'too late' to help, according to research by Emma Tominey. Harm to the baby is essentially reduced to zero if the mother quits by month five of the pregnancy.
But the study also suggests that while stopping mothers smoking during pregnancy is important, it is only half the battle. It calls on the government to alter radically its policy on helping pregnant women quit smoking, in particular targeting the children of low-educated mothers. A much more holistic approach to improving child health in pregnancy is needed to help thousands of children break out of the poverty trap.
February 2008 Paper Number CEPCP241