title: Low birthweight, preterm births and intrauterine growth retardation in relation to maternal smoking.
abstract: The association between the intensity and duration of cigarette smoking during pregnancy and the frequency of low birthweight, preterm births and intrauterine growth retardation was investigated in a historical cohort. All 5166 livebirths occurring in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, during 1993 were identified and mothers interviewed soon after delivery. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy had a birthweight 142 g lower than those of non-smoking mothers. The odds ratio for low birthweight among children of smokers was 1.59 [95% CI 1.30-1.95]. There was no association between smoking and preterm delivery assessed by the Dubowitz score. In relation to intrauterine growth retardation, smoking was associated with an odds ratio of 2.07 [95% CI 1.69-2.53]. There was a direct dose-response association between the number of cigarettes smoked and the risk of growth retardation. Women whose partner smoked were also at higher risk of having a child with growth retardation. All the above results were adjusted for confounding factors. The effect of maternal smoking on low birthweight seems to be attributable to intrauterine growth retardation rather than preterm delivery.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Victora
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Barros
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005220:Fathers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016015:Logistic Models; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution