Smoking has been linked to a variety of health risks and birth complications. New research suggests that exposure to nicotine, before and after birth, can cause hearing problems for the child.

Share on Pinterest Research suggests that smoking before and after the pregnancy may cause hearing problems for the baby.

The use of tobacco and nicotine has been shown to affect the healthy development of the fetus, as well as causing premature birth or even infant death. Birth defects, sudden infant death syndrome, and low birth weight have all been associated with tobacco, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and nicotine replacement therapy.

Despite the well-known harmful effects of smoking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 10 percent of women still smoke during the final 3 months of pregnancy.

E-cigarettes are perceived to be safer, as they do not contain tobacco and contain fewer harmful chemicals than regular cigarettes. However, the CDC warn that e-cigarettes are also harmful for the baby, as they still contain nicotine – which can affect the development of an infant’s brain and lungs.

New research – led by Ursula Koch, a professor at the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany – investigates further effects that nicotine may have on the developing fetus as well as on the newborn baby. Specifically, the research looks at the development of the auditory brainstem in mice.

The findings were published in The Journal of Physiology.