New research suggests that moms who smoke before, during, and even after pregnancy may be compromising their daughters' future fertility.

The study involved female mice injected with environmental toxins found in cigarette smoke before they became pregnant and while they were nursing.

Though the mice's litter size was not affected by the smoke toxin exposure, ovarian function in the female offspring was.

Lead researcher Andrea Jurisicova, PhD, says she hopes the findings in mice will spur further research examining the role of cigarette smoke and exposure to similar environmental toxins on fertility.

"We want to raise concerns. We don't want to spook anybody," Juriscova tells WebMD. "But this research does suggest that a woman who smokes may be affecting her future offspring's fertility without knowing it."

Maternal smoking is linked to a wide range of pregnancy complications, including low birth weight, placental problems, and premature delivery.

Previous studies have also suggested a link between cigarette smoke exposure in the womb and impaired fertility later in life in both women and men, but the reasons for the association have not been known.

In an effort to explain the association, Juriscova and colleagues injected female mice with the environmental toxin polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) prior to pregnancy and after birth while they were nursing to mimic the effects of cigarette smoke exposure.