Fewer premature births after smoking ban in Scotland

Exposure to tobacco smoke has been linked to lower birthweights and early deliveries 

By Michelle RobertsHealth reporter, BBC News
Since Scotland introduced a ban on smoking in public places in 2006 there has been a 10% drop in the country's premature birth rate, say researchers

They believe this is a smoke-free benefit that can be chalked up alongside others, like reductions in heart disease and childhood asthma.

Tobacco smoke has been linked to poor foetal growth and placenta problems.

Plos Medicine analysed smoking and birth rates for all expectant women in Scotland before and after the ban.

It included data for more than 700,000 women spanning a period of about 14 years.

Significant change

Scotland was the first country in the UK to ban smoking in public places, followed by Wales, Northern Ireland and England in 2007.

After the legislation was introduced in Scotland, fewer mothers-to-be smoked - 19% compared with 25% before.

At the same time there was a significant drop in the number of babies born prematurely or with low birthweight.

The investigators believe both are linked to the smoking ban, even though these rates started to go down some months before the ban was introduced and smoking incidence started to creep up again shortly after the ban.

They say there have not been any major changes in maternity care that would explain the findings.

Also, the reduction in premature births was both in non-smokers and women who continued to smoke when pregnant, which they say suggests passive smoke exposure is likely involved.

But while their work suggests a link, it is not proof that one thing necessarily causes another. As with all retrospective studies like this, it is impossible to rule out entirely all other factors that might have influenced the finding.

However, Dr Daniel Mackay and colleagues from the University of Glasgow say their findings "add to the growing evidence of the wide-ranging health benefits of smoke-free legislation" and "lend support" to the adoption of such legislation in countries where it does not currently exist.

Andy Cole, chief executive of the special care baby charity Bliss, said: "We welcome the findings of this new study, which highlights a reduction in the number of babies born early or with low birthweight in Scotland, where around 8,000 babies are born each year needing specialist hospital care.

"Bliss always recommends that women should not smoke during pregnancy and that they should lead a healthy lifestyle. However, it is important to remember that the reasons a baby can be born premature or underweight are complicated and that smoking is just one risk factor."

According to the British Heart Foundation, there are more than nine million smokers in the UK, and smoking remains the UK's biggest cause of avoidable early death.

It says the focus should now shift to the effect of smoking in the home and confined spaces, such as cars, especially where children are present.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are continuing to build upon the achievements made to protect future generations from the devastating effects of smoking such as bans on cigarette vending machines and the displays in shops.

"We are committed to ensuring a new comprehensive robust tobacco control strategy for Scotland is developed this year. This strategy will focus on prevention and cessation and include ambitious targets for reducing smoking across Scotland."

Memory Improvement - 6 Tips to Improve Your Memory

By Lady Tex

The brain which is the engine of the body needs to be vital and in good health for a person to have a good memory. Memory problems can start as early as the teenage years or as late as your retirement years. But whether you need to improve your memory in order to pass an exam, or need to stay alert in your work environment or are trying to maintain and improve your memory in your twilight years these tips are for you.
Unlike other parts of the body that generally do not improve with age the brain is an extremely flexible organ that adapts with new stimulation. This ability is especially true with regards memory and learning. There are many things that one can do to enhance one's mental alertness and below are 6 tips to improve memory.

1) Exercise and sleep - In order to maintain overall good health everyone needs to exercise and sleep well. This is also true of the brain, physical exercise pumps oxygen to the brain thereby diminishing the risks of diabetes and other disorders that promote memory loss.
Inadequate sleep means your brain is not working at optimum capacity and since memory enhancing activities occur while you are in the deepest stages of sleep, this means they are compromised. So memory can be problematic for the insomniac.

2) Socialization - Stimulation of the brain occurs while we interact with friends and family and this enables our brain to exercise. Humans thrive in social settings and interacting relationships that especially include laughter are a tonic to our brain and so a memory enhancer.

3) Relaxation - Stress is an adversary to the brain because when it occurs continuously it breaks down brain cells harming the area of the brain which allows retrieval of old memories and formation of new memories. Depression can also be an enemy to the brain because it slows down the brain, reducing its ability to remember to focus or make choices. Meditation is one of the best ways to counteract stress and depression in that it stimulates the area of the brain that encourages joy and feelings of well-being.

4) Consume Foods that boost the Brain - the brain like other organs in the body needs food to feed it and certain foods will enhance memory. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grain and " good fats". Omega 3 are fatty acids that power the brain in a very positive way and are found naturally in fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardine, etc. It has been shown that the risk of Alzheimer's disease is reduced in the population that consumes a lot of fish in their diet. Fruit and vegetables high in antioxidants such as spinach, broccoli, mangoes, cantaloupe, melon, etc serve as substances that shield the brain from injury. Moderate consumption of grape juice and wine increases recollection, red wine in particular increases the flow of blood to the brain.

5) Brain workout - Use your brain by doing new things, change in your routine and new challenges will encourage your brain to use new brain pathways giving it a good workout because this entails mental effort.

6) Mnemonic Devices - The use of clues to enable us to remember something, for example connecting information with a picture.

The above mentioned tips are some basic lifestyle considerations that will keep you healthy and will help you improve your memory.

Lady Tex is a health fanatic and writes frequently about memory improvement. She has provided an in depth review on Memory Improvement Tips. Check out additional reviews from her at the How To Improve Memory site.

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