Maternal smoking and DNA methylation abnormalities in children at early developmental stages

The paper analyzes the results of current studies of the role of DNA methylation during human embryonic development and the effects of tobacco smoke from maternal smoking on the epigenetic status of a developing child. The molecular mechanisms mediating the association between maternal smoking and its effects on the development and health of the offspring, especially its long-term effects that manifest throughout his/her life are the object of active research in medicine and biology. Human genomics studies in recent years have shown that one of these mechanisms may be the epigenetic regulation of gene activity, namely, stable tobacco smoke-induced alterations in this system can cause concomitant smoking-related developmental and health problems. Active smoking is an important risk factor for morbidity and premature mortality, while maternal smoking during pregnancy has a double effect: firstly, it adversely affects women’s health and secondly, it leads to irreparable fetal developmental disorders and affects the health and development of the newborn and the quality of his/her subsequent life.