In developing countries around the world especially in Asia, secondhand smoke causes thousands of stillbirths every year. Exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy increases the risk of stillbirth, congenital malformations, low birth-weight and respiratory illnesses. In a recent study, researchers found that 40% of all pregnant women in Pakistan are exposed to secondhand smoke - causing approximately 17,000 stillbirths in a year. The team from the University of York looked at the number of pregnancies alongside smoking exposure data in 30 developing countries from 2008 to 2013.
The analysis revealed that in Armenia, Indonesia, Jordan, Bangladesh and Nepal more than 50% of pregnant women reported exposure to household secondhand smoke. In Indonesia alone, 10,000 stillbirths take place every year. In Pakistan, only 1% of stillbirths are attributed to women actively smoking during…
