Disturbing ultrasounds show how babies are affected by smoking in the womb

Researchers seeking to show pregnant women the harmful effects smoking has on unborn babies found that "babies carried by smokers may have delayed development of the central nervous system," The Telegraph reports.

The series of 4-D ultrasound scans, captured by Researchers from Durham and Lancaster universities, reveal how infants in the womb open their mouths, cover their faces, and appear to "grimace" when their mothers inhale cigarette smoke (the top row in the photo below):

According to the research, "fetuses whose mothers were smokers showed a significantly higher rate of mouth movements than the normal declining rate of movements expected in a fetus during pregnancy."

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Though further research is necessary to confirm the results, Professor Brian Francis, co-author of the study, said that technology allows us to see what was previously hidden, and that smoking affects the development of the fetus in ways we did not realize, concluding that, "This [research] is yet further evidence of the negative effects of smoking in pregnancy."