Does secondhand smoke during pregnancy raise the risk of cerebral palsy in babies? Research shows no direct link, but it does harm the developing brain in ways that could affect movement and health.
Secondhand smoke means breathing in smoke from someone else’s cigarette. When a pregnant woman is around smokers, the baby gets exposed to nicotine and other chemicals through her blood. These chemicals cross the placenta and reach the fetus early in pregnancy. Nicotine builds up more in the baby’s fluids than in the mom’s, starting as early as seven weeks.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_nicotine_on_human_brain_development
This exposure changes brain growth. It harms the brainstem, which controls breathing, heart rate, and arousal. Up to 70 percent of exposed babies have altered serotonin systems in the brainstem, leading to poor coordination of these functions.https://www.droracle.ai/articles/643373/what-are-the-effects-of-maternal-smoking-on-a Newborns may show tremors, irritability, stiff muscles, and unstable heart rates right after birth. These signs come from nicotine withdrawal and last for days or weeks.https://www.droracle.ai/articles/643373/what-are-the-effects-of-maternal-smoking-on-a
Brain scans and studies find lasting issues. Prenatal smoke disrupts white matter, the insulation around nerve fibers. This affects how signals travel in the brain, possibly leading to problems with thinking, senses, and movement later in life.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12737246/ The prefrontal cortex, key for attention and behavior, also suffers. A 2014 Surgeon General report states nicotine causes permanent brain changes, even if birth weight seems normal.https://www.droracle.ai/articles/643373/what-are-the-effects-of-maternal-smoking-on-ahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_nicotine_on_human_brain_development
Cerebral palsy involves muscle control problems from early brain damage. While smoke raises risks for preterm birth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death, studies do not tie it directly to cerebral palsy. The brain harms from secondhand smoke focus more on autonomic issues, withdrawal, and white matter changes rather than the motor cortex damage seen in cerebral palsy. No search results mention cerebral palsy specifically.
The effects get worse with more smoke exposure. Light smoking has milder impacts, but heavy exposure leads to stronger newborn symptoms and higher odds of issues like asthma in childhood.https://www.droracle.ai/articles/643373/what-are-the-effects-of-maternal-smoking-on-a Avoiding smoke entirely protects the baby’s brain best.
Sources
https://www.droracle.ai/articles/643373/what-are-the-effects-of-maternal-smoking-on-a
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12737246/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_nicotine_on_human_brain_development
https://www.psypost.org/prenatal-thc-exposure-linked-to-lasting-brain-changes-and-behavioral-issues/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2842585
