The Effects of Tobacco Use During and After Pregnancy on Exposed Children Relevance of Findings for Alcohol Research

Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy have both been associated with a number of adverse effects on the growth, cognitive development, and behavior of the exposed child. Understanding the effects of prenatal tobacco exposure allows researchers to identify those characteristics that are uniquely related to tobacco and those that are affected by alcohol exposure. This research, along with studies on the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy, has implications for preventing various types of substance use during pregnancy and for treating children affected by prenatal substance use. KEY WORDS: tobacco in any form; smoking; pregnancy; adverse drug effect; postnatal AOD (alcohol or other drug) exposure; prenatal AOD exposure; infant; cognitive development; psychobehavioral AODE (effects of AOD use, abuse, and dependence); growth and development Women who smoke duringpregnancy are also likely todrink alcohol. In one survey