Moms' smoking may increase risk of colic in babies

http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.p...st_item&id=297

"Moms' smoking may increase risk of colic in babies", Chicago-Sun
Times, October 4, 2004,
Link: http://www.suntimes.com/output/healt...s-smoke04.html

Mothers who smoke during or after pregnancy increase their babies'
risk of developing colic, those vexing, inconsolable crying spells
that affect up to 20 percent of U.S. babies in their first few months
of life, researchers say.

The culprit, based on studies in adults, is likely nicotine, which
increases blood levels of a gut protein involved in digestion, said
Brown University epidemiologist Edmond Shenassa. That may result in
painful cramping that makes babies cry, he said.

Shenassa and Harvard University researcher Mary-Jean Brown reviewed
several studies, including six that involved more than 12,000 babies.