More Harm From Smoking While Pregnant

Artery damage in young adults is more common for those whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, a study suggests. The trend was worse if both parents smoked. Researchers measured the thickness of the walls of the carotid arteries in 732 young adults. The carotid arteries lead to the brain. About 3 out of 10 mothers and 6 out of 10 fathers had smoked during the pregnancies. Their children were more likely to have a thick lining inside the artery walls. This can be a danger sign of heart disease to come. The study was in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. HealthDay News wrote about it November 20.