Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Metabolic Syndrome in Their Children

The purpose of this review is to provide the evidence that demonstrates a significant association between prenatal cigarette smoke exposure and the risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS). The PubMed database was searched for papers published from 1995 through 2012 to identify original human studies that related maternal smoking during pregnancy to MetS in their children. The relationships among maternal smoking during pregnancy and their child’s high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high waist circumferences are identified. Stronger associations were reported in children with higher body mass index and those who reported smoking as adults.