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Smoking During Pregnancy

Unborn children are vulnerable to secondhand smoke exposure. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to low birth-weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Other conditions thought to be linked to exposure to secondhand smoke include miscarriages and an adverse impact on cognition and behaviour in children.

In 2005, 10% (8.9%, 11.8%) of recent mothers in Ontario between the ages of 15-55 years reported smoking during their last pregnancy. Although still high, this number is much better than 2001, when 14% (12.3%, 15.9%) of recent mothers reported smoking during their last pregnancy.

Even if they were not the ones smoking, 11% (9.7%, 12.8%) of all recent mothers in Ontario reported that someone regularly smoked in their presence during their pregnancy or up to six months after the pregnancy. This was an improvement from 2001, when 19% (16.8%, 20.8%) reported being exposed to secondhand smoke during their pregnancy or shortly after.

Figure 1 illustrates the trend of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure among Ontario recent mothers over the past five years.