Home > News
|
Keeping Smoke Away From Baby |
|
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDayNews) -- Establishing a no-smoking policy at home to protect babies is more likely to last if it's started soon after the birth of a child, says a study in the December issue of Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
The Baylor College of Medicine study of 325 women who took part in a smoking-cessation program during pregnancy found that three months after birth, 63 percent of the homes had a no-smoking policy. That dropped to 60 percent at six months and then increased to 64 percent at one year.
Homes where a no-smoking policy was established at three months after birth were more likely than others to still have a no-smoking policy at six months. Mothers who said they were confident they could control smoking in their homes were more likely to have a no-smoking policy.
Research has linked secondhand smoke to an increased risk of asthma, ear and lung infections, and sudden death infant syndrome in children. A 1992 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report estimated that half to two-thirds of American children under age 5 may be exposed to secondhand smoke in the home.
More information
Here's where you can learn more about secondhand smoke.
(SOURCE: Health Behavior News Service, news release, Dec. 16, 2003)
Copyright © 2003 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
HealthDayNews articles are derived from various sources and do not reflect federal policy. healthfinder® does not endorse opinions, products, or services that may appear in news stories. For more information on health topics in the news, visit the healthfinder® health library.
