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Fetuses reacting to moms' smoking

Mary Bowerman
USA TODAY Network
A pilot study by Durham University researchers looked at the movements of fetuses in smokers and non-smokers.

The harmful effects of smoking while pregnant are displayed on the faces of fetuses, according to new research.

Using high definition images of fetuses in the womb researchers think they can see differences in prenatal developmental behavior in smokers vs. non-smokers.

During a small pilot study, 20 pregnant women — 16 non-smokers and four smokers — were given ultrasounds to observe fetal activities at 24, 28, 32 and 36 weeks.

The four fetuses of smoking mothers touched their faces and moved their mouths more than those of non-smoking mothers, says the study published in journal Acta Paediatrica.

Fetuses touch themselves and move within the womb, but as they get older their movements decrease, according to the lead researcher Nadja Reissland of Durham University in the United Kingdom.

Reissland says all the fetuses had a healthy birth weight but the images showed that smoking affected "fine grain behaviors."

"Normal fetal behavior shows fewer movements but the images suggest that fetuses in smokers are less mature in their behavior," Reissland told USA TODAY Network.

Ultrasound images of a pregnant smokers unborn child. Researchers from Durham University in the United Kingdom found that fetuses in mothers who smoked were more likely to move than those who did not.

According to the CDC, one in five babies born to mothers who smoke have a low birth weight. Smoking while pregnant is also more likely to result in preterm delivery and other health issues.

While rates of smoking among pregnant women have fallen in the U.S., 13.8% smoked while pregnant according to the CDC.

Reissland says she wants to replicate the results in a larger study with 60 smokers and 60 non-smokers. She hopes the study will one day be a common practice to show mothers and families the effects of smoking on fetuses in the womb.

"Some research on smell and fetuses can smell different smells and are attracted to smells in the womb so they could be already getting used to the smell of tobacco," Reissland says.

Follow @MaryBowerman on Twitter.

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