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Objective : To study prospectively the effect of prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) on child neuropsychological function and intelligence quotient (IQ). Background : PSE has been associated with adverse effects on child neurodevelopment. However, some studies reported that these associations disappear after adjustment for potential confounders. Methods : A cohortof 248 mothers-child dyad was followed from the first trimester of pregnancy until children were 7.5 years old. PSE was recorded during pregnancy by questionnaire and plasma cotinine. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Neuropsychological Assessment of Executive Functions for Children (ENFEN) and the School Neuropsychological Maturity Questionnaire were administered at 7.5 years of age. The effect of PSE on child IQ and neuropsychological function was assessed with ANCOVA, adjusting for obstetric, neonatal and sociodemographic factors. Results : Children whose mothers smoked throughout pregnancy scored lower in interference (ENFEN) compared to unexposed children ( F = 4.1; p = .008). The results showed no differences in other executive functions, verbal and visual memory and IQ between the PSE groups. Conclusion : PSE had little effect on child neuropsychological outcome and was limited to mental flexibility. Nevertheless, these findings support further efforts aimed at encouraging mothers to quit smoking in pregnancy.

The objective of this research was to study whether positive and negative maternal emotional states were related to obstetrical outcomes in 205 women who participated in a study conducted between 2004 and 2007 in the Sant Joan University Hospital of Reus, Spain. Maternal anxiety and positive emotional states were assessed using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. The obstetrical outcomes of interest were gestational age at birth, birth weight, and mode of delivery. More women with lower anxiety levels and a more positive state of mind had normal deliveries. Anxiety was related to lower birth weight and to difficult delivery. A positive state of mind and emotional stability were associated with having a normal delivery. Therefore, moderate levels of anxiety were associated with complications during delivery and poorer fetal outcomes, whereas a positive state of mind was associated with better childbirth experiences.