Should pregnant women be banned from smoking in light of new research?

[hunkermunker]

See here

"Nine out of 10 mothers whose babies suffered cot death smoked during pregnancy, according to a scientific study to be published this week. The study, thought to be one of the most authoritative to date on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), says women who smoke during pregnancy are four times more likely than non-smokers to see their child fall victim to cot death."

Personally, I find it very, very hard to understand why anybody smokes while knowingly pregnant. And yes, I know it's addictive. I speak as an ex-smoker, not somebody who has no idea what it's like to have a love affair with the evil weed.

I said ask the smoker re the benefits ( their perception of them ), I did not advocate smoking or suggest there are benefits in doing so.

If you wish to educate, you do not alienate your student.

There are great problems which can result from people refusing blood tests an other investigations, what about Rh incomptability, severe anaemia etc?

Obviously a reasoned argument is not to be considered on a topic regarding smoking.

oh dearie me no I dont consider myself one.

however, your post had an element of ambiguity as to whom your slurs were directed at, since your recent posts had mentioned me by name.

Thank you for clarifying

"Arsey" is hardly the meanest thing said on MN, it's not even the meanest thing said on this thread. And reading Aitch's initial post, she said it was an arsey point, not that you were being arsey.

You have completely over-reacted to an imagined slight and blown this way out of proportion, in my deeply humble opinion (the monkey agrees).

Perception of supposed benefits is not the same as the reality of benefits.
Whereas the risks are not just perceived and actually real.

Thats like saying because I beleive that taking heroin makes me relaxed it has benefits.

so can i only be upset at the meanest thing said on mumsnet.

becuase you consider that i should be upset?

becuase of your sliding "slaggin off scale"

nice name btw suits you

Prove to me you've not been arsey at all on this thread and I'll retract it with bells on, Custy.

Now you see this is why I've always been a bit of this whole 'label the behaviour and not the child' malarkey.

Doesn't even fool the grown-ups...

Does this mudslinging/arguing/accusational stuff really need to go on???

The thread is about smoking in pregnancy, which your views all seem to be similar on, someone said something that offended, meant or not, and everyone seems to feel it is necessary to get involved.

Now, children, nicely does it.

Back to the topic.

"Nine out of 10 mothers whose babies suffered cot death smoked during pregnancy, according to a scientific study to be published this week. The study, thought to be one of the most authoritative to date on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), says women who smoke during pregnancy are four times more likely than non-smokers to see their child fall victim to cot death."

Personally, I find it very, very hard to understand why anybody smokes while knowingly pregnant. And yes, I know it's addictive. I speak as an ex-smoker, not somebody who has no idea what it's like to have a love affair with the evil weed.

OH fgs if you felt like it was a personal attack custy - why didnt you just click on the red !????

Why this diatribe on the pretext of "you are all being horrible to me"?

TellusMater, I was raised in an old-fangled way, what can I say? I was... ..smacked!

hunker - now you want me to go away and do a "CSI" thing post to prove my innocence of your arsey label.

so a ) people can say " wow custy type faster" or "WTF is this CSI?"

or b) i can prove my self worthy?

as far as i am concerned Aitch was unpleasant - and followed by continuing unpleasantness towards me in particular

( see CSI thread)

why she couldnt have just said " sorry 'arsey' was uncalled for" i dont know.

and c) i would have to ask you particularly what your definition of arsey is.

and quite frankly i am beyond that

For fucks sake, Custy, she asked you a question in response to your original sushi point, you said something like "what does my conclusion matter?" and then she made the comment about an arsey point. You then completely went off on one, accused Aitch of targetting you specifically, said she was being a bitch and vitriolic and now you are whining that she is being mean to you. And god forbid another poster say you are wrong, because then we are all just in thrall to Aitch - it couldn't possibly be that you were being completely unreasonable.

Hunker, I was actually referring to this nice distinction from minionwithamonkey

"And reading Aitch's initial post, she said it was an arsey point, not that you were being arsey. "

I know you call a spade a spade...

It was a frivolous comment that was perhaps a little out of keeping with the thread.

My statistics point is serious though...

Never having taken heroin, I wouldn't know about the benefits, be they perceived or real.

I do know about pregnant women and smoking, also about refusing investigations, treatment, advice etc. and the terrible repercussians that can ensue.

No one should smoke, but they do. They are not criminals and I find it hard to conceive that there are so many on her who have no understnding or compassion for their fellow women.

All is wonderful in life when one can say 'see, I was right'

TellusMater

Custy, I don't watch CSI.

WTF is CSI anyway?

I blame TED.

NoNameToday those are a completely different set of blood tests- which most people have as termination etc is not an implied follow on procedure as a result (as certainly many expected from my high risk DS result); however if I hadnt wanted them it would have made no difference- my Rh status, etc are unlikely to have changed since my last 3 births and I am in a monogamous relationship with the same Father to all children. Anaemia is detectable through other symptoms in many mothers- I ahev taken iron since day 1 as I know I am likely to develop the symptoms.

NoNameToday, I have absolutely no problem with people wanting to smoke, I do however think that parenthood starts at conception, and that ALL mothers should do their best to protect and benefit their children, born or unborn. This includes not smoking whilst pg.

I am currently 15 weeks pregnant, and I would love to get pissed, or eat tons of peanuts, have runny yolks on my eggs, BUT I dont, because of the potential risk to my pregnancy.

Now I am not addicted to any of those things, but I have been addicted to smoking, and it was one of those things I stopped, for my child.

Surely the fact that all pregnant women should (as in the best for them and baby, not banning it etc) stop smoking??

Oh, it's quite strange being called Ted

And yes, I fear it was my forensic remark of last night ....

(oh and in a proper study stress levels can be measured by biofedeback methods; and stress in itself in increasingly considered a risk factor in pregnancy- not as much as smoking obv, but it is)

Just ot a bit. Regarding the peanuts, did anyone else see the report that said that they are now looking at the increase in nut allergy being due to mothers abstaining from nuts during pregnancy and so baby not building resistance to them because of not being exposed to them in utero?
I think this is one of the reasons studies/recommendations are not always taken seriously because the advice changes so often in some cases.

NoNameToday, you refer to the benefits of smoking that only smokers can understand (and I think I can qualify to understand as I was smoking some 30 odd red marlboros per day for more than 10 years, still saw no benefit, unless a wheezy chest at night and horrible morning cough counts).

Can you clarify to me what the benefits of smoking is to the baby when the mum is smoking when pregnant?

Because if there are none, I really do not see how one can advocate that women should smoke in pregnancy just because they have the right to do as they wish to their bodies. What about the baby's body? Simply saying it is my baby I do as I want with it, does not work. You CANNOT mistreat a baby without ramifications. At least you should not be able to do so. Though many do, and it is called. Hey, whats the word again. Neglect? Abuse?

utterly, utterly baffled by this thread. Eye opening it certainly is, and distressing. The research is pretty damned conclusive. Everyone has a choice whether they smoke or not. Can't believe anyone would still do it in light of the evidence, sorry.