SMOKING IN PREGNANCY AND CHILD-DEVELOPMENT TO AGE 9 YEARS

This study examined the association between women's retrospective repo rts of smoking during pregnancy and subsequent language, cognitive, be havioural and physical development in their children up to age 9 years . While there was a strong association between maternal smoking and an index of disadvantageous child rearing, maternal smoking was not asso ciated with more general family disadvantage. After controlling for le vels of background disadvantage, no relationship was found between rep orts of smoking and language, cognitive or physical development. Howev er, smoking was related to maternal reports of behaviour problems at a ge of school entry. Possible explanations for this relationship are di scussed.