Grandmother's Smoking Linked to Asthma in Grandchild

There are several reasons to quit smoking. A latest study discovered a new downside to smoking which you might not have been aware of.

According to the study conducted by two Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) researchers, grandmothers who smoked cigarettes could be responsible for their grandchildren's asthma.

In order to prove the hypothesis, researchers John S. Torday, Ph.D, and Virender K. Rehan, M.D., conducted a study on rats, where the pregnant rodents were given nicotine, an active ingredient in cigarettes.

The researchers noticed that those rats that were given nicotine gave birth to asthmatic pups. When these pups grew up, even if they were not exposed to nicotine, their pups had asthma.

Earlier, a study called the Children's Health study from the Southern California showed how grandmother's smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of asthma in grandchildren, irrespective of whether the mothers smoked or not. This study was cited by the researchers.

From the study conducted, the researchers conclude that the environmental factor a pregnant lady is exposed to not only affects the growing child in the uterus, but also future generations of the same family. It is environmental factors that cause second-generation asthma.

"Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood, resulting in a significant impact on the lives of children and driving up medical costs for all," Dr. Rehan said. "While many factors contribute to asthma, smoking during pregnancy is a well-established one and one that can be avoided."

In the U.S., the number of asthma cases have been multiplying. Statistics according to the World Health Organization state that 235 million people are victims of asthma.

The study was published in the March edition of Review of Obstetrics & Gynecology.