Abstract
This paper presents a review of the literature on the effects of cigarette smoking on the health of descendants and the possible mechanisms that lead to them. The evidence of the effects of prenatal cigarette smoke exposure on neonatal morbidity is clear. A number of birth defects have their incidence raised by maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Prenatal smoke exposure also increases the risk of infant irritability, inattention, decreased response to inanimate auditory stimuli and hypertonia. In addition, the prevalence of obesity in preschool children is higher if the mother smoked during pregnancy, as well as the presence of male or female subfertility/infertility in adult life. Studies on the association between parental smoking and childhood cancer correlate paternal smoking to a higher risk of neoplasm in early life, especially of hematopoietic origin.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.