Does the March of Dimes fund research on the risks of smoking during pregnancy?
The March of Dimes has long supported research on the risks of smoking during pregnancy. In the 1970s, March of Dimes-supported research suggested that nicotine and carbon monoxide reduce the supply of oxygen to the baby, perhaps explaining how these chemicals in cigarette smoke reduce fetal growth. In 2002, a March of Dimes grantee published a study that may shed light on why some women who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy have low-birthweight babies and others do not (10). The researcher reported that pregnant women who smoke are more likely to have a premature or low-birthweight baby if they have either of two common genetic traits (which influence the body’s ability to dispose of certain chemicals). These findings could lead to better ways to identify and treat women at high risk of having a low-birthweight baby. A current March of Dimes grantee is investigating whether smoking at a critical stage of embryonic palate development increases the risk of cleft lip/palate.
