Circulation: Smoking During Pregnancy Increases Risk of Hypertension in Children

Smoking during pregnancy may increase the risk of hypertension in children, according to researchers in the United States involved in the large ECHO project focused on studying cardiovascular diseases. The study results were published in the journal Circulation.

Scientists analyzed data from 13,120 children born between 1999 and 2020 at 52 medical centers across the United States and Puerto Rico. Information about smoking during pregnancy was collected using questionnaires, medical records, and urine tests measuring cotinine — a marker of recent tobacco use. Children’s blood pressure was measured between the ages of three and 18.

The analysis showed that children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were more likely to have higher levels of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In addition, they were more frequently diagnosed with hypertension later in life. The strongest association was observed in cases where active smoking was confirmed by laboratory tests. The effect was more pronounced in girls and became stronger as children grew older.

At the same time, passive smoking, based on self-reported data, did not demonstrate a statistically significant association with elevated blood pressure.

The authors emphasize that elevated blood pressure in childhood increases the likelihood of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. According to the researchers, reducing the number of pregnant women who smoke could become an important preventive measure against hypertension and related health risks in the future.

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