Medical professionals have raised alarms regarding the increased risk of childhood leukemia in babies born to parents who smoke heavily, specifically those who consume more than 20 cigarettes daily.
They underscored the detrimental effects of paternal smoking on the health of offspring, positing that exposure to the harmful substances found in tobacco can have repercussions not only for the smoker but also for future generations.
According to these experts, the carcinogens in cigarette smoke may induce genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations that could heighten the likelihood of various health issues, including leukemia, in children.
They emphasized the necessity of quitting smoking, particularly for men who are looking to become fathers, noting that reducing tobacco use would not only improve the father’s health but also foster a healthier pregnancy and better outcomes for the child.
NAIJATRAFFIC reports that these physicians were responding to a study indicating that paternal smoking prior to conception raises the risk of childhood leukemia in their unborn children.
The research, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology under the title “Parental Smoking and the Risk of Childhood Leukaemia” by Jeffery Chang et al., established a link between paternal smoking and both adult and childhood leukemia.
The study analyzed the association between parental smoking and childhood leukemia as part of the Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study, a case-control investigation conducted from 1995 to 2002.
This analysis involved 327 cases of acute childhood leukemia (comprising 281 acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 46 acute myeloid leukemia) alongside 416 control subjects matched by age, sex, maternal race, and Hispanic ethnicity.
The findings indicated that while maternal smoking did not correlate with an increased risk of either acute lymphoblastic leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia, paternal smoking before conception was significantly linked to a heightened risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Dr. Isaiah Abali, a Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon at Abia State University Teaching Hospital, noted that exposure to paternal smoking before conception, whether alone or in conjunction with passive smoking after birth, could play a pivotal role in the likelihood of childhood leukemia.
He highlighted how parental smoking could adversely affect pregnancy outcomes and pointed to research indicating that harmful chemicals in cigarettes can negatively impact infant health.
Encouraging prospective fathers to reconsider their smoking habits, Abali stated, “The findings strongly suggest that exposure to paternal preconception smoking, alongside postnatal passive smoking, may significantly increase the risk of childhood bone cancers and leukemia of the bone marrow.”
He asserted the importance of addressing this concern to promote children’s long-term health and lower the occurrence of childhood cancers associated with parental behaviors.
The findings emphasize the urgent need for heightened public awareness regarding the risks tied to paternal smoking, advocating for support systems and resources to aid smoking cessation efforts for future fathers.
Abali noted that while awareness about the dangers of maternal smoking is increasing, there is a critical need for more information regarding the risks linked to paternal smoking before conception.
He remarked, “Parents should be educated about the adverse effects of both maternal and paternal smoking on fetal health, as well as the benefits of cessation.”
The research highlights the serious health risks posed by exposure to cigarette smoke, warning that paternal smoking not only impacts the smoker but also elevates children’s susceptibility to leukemia.
Professor Gregory Erhabor, a Medicine Professor at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, pointed out that parental smoking has been associated with asthma, various cancers, and respiratory ailments, but he noted that the link to childhood leukemia requires further investigation.
As a former President of the Nigerian Thoracic Society, he admitted that he has not specifically researched the connection between paternal smoking and childhood leukemia but acknowledged the necessity of such studies, saying, “I have not come across studies on this topic, but I will investigate further to determine the connection.”
Although he recognizes the established relationship between paternal smoking and asthma, he expressed uncertainty about its correlation with leukemia.
His comments underscore the need for more thorough research in this domain to fully understand the effects of parental smoking on children’s health.
