Health Buzz: Grandmother's Smoking Associated With Grandchildren's Autism Spectrum Disorder

There’s no shortage of guidance around the dangers of smoking cigarettes – but this latest finding could prompt further scrutiny of the practice. A University of Bristol study, published in Scientific Reports, found that if a girl’s maternal grandmother smoked while pregnant, she gave her granddaughter a 67 percent higher chance of showing signs associated with autism, such as poor social communication and repetitive behaviors. She also gave all her grandchildren a 53 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.