I just wrote a blog that mentioned that a baby born to a woman who smoked during pregnancy has three times the risk of developing MS in his or her lifetime as someone born to a non-smoking mom.
For anyone looking for extra reasons to quit smoking, I thought I would pull together some links to the other articles and blogs that I have written on the subject of smoking and MS:
Smoking Makes Multiple Sclerosis Worse
How Smoking Makes Multiple Sclerosis Worse
Smoking Increases Risk for Developing Multiple Sclerosis
What Can (Almost) Triple Multiple Sclerosis Risk? Early Smoking.
When I was diagnosed four years ago, I had been a light smoker (no more than 4-5 cigs a day) for three years. In my google-search mania after being diagnosed, I came across multiple research findings that indicated that cigarette smoking hastens the progression of MS. That was all I needed to quit cold turkey. Never mind all of the health warnings, it was MS that was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. I am convinced that smoking contributed to me developing MS in the first place. You see, I had quit smoking and started again in the three years prior to my diagnosis. Every time I see anyone smoking on the street, I’m tempted to sidle up the him or her and say, “Do you know that smoking increases your risk of developing MS?” Thank you for posting about this important topic!