Could Smoking Actually Influence the Growth of Your Grandchildren?

Previous studies have illustrated the dangers of smoking during pregnancy. Now, a recent study has found that prior generations who smoked could have an influence on their children's future offspring.

Findings published in the American Journal of Human Biology found that if a paternal grandmother smoked during her pregnancy, her granddaughters tended to be taller and both her granddaughters and grandsons tended to have greater bone mass and lean muscle mass.

Researchers also found that maternal grandmothers who smoked during pregnancy were more likely to have heavier adolescent grandsons than those who did not. On the other hand, grandmothers and mothers were significantly more likely to have shorter and lighter girls than other mothers or grandmothers who did not smoke during their pregnancies. 

"These likely transgenerational effects from the grandmothers' smoking in pregnancy need to be taken into account in future studies of the effects of maternal smoking on child growth and development," said lead study author Professor Marcus Pembrey, in a news release. "If replicated, such studies could be a useful model for the molecular analysis of human transgenerational responses."

For pregnant mothers who may be struggling to kick their smoking habit, there are a number of health and support groups that can help out. 

Those who regularly smoke throughout their pregnancy will increase the risk of low birth weight, heart problems, respiratory issues and potentially Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) for their future baby.