Does passive smoking in early pregnancy increase the risk of small-for-gestational-age infants?
OBJECTIVE
This study tested the hypothesis that women who deliver small-for-gestational-age infants are more often exposed to passive smoking at home or at work.


METHODS
Among a 1-year cohort of nulliparous women in the city of Malmö, Sweden 872 (87.7%) women completed a questionnaire during their first prenatal visit. The study was carried out among women whose pregnancies resulted in a singleton live birth (n = 826), 6.7% of infants were classified as small for their gestational age.


RESULTS
Passive smoking in early pregnancy was shown to double a woman's risk of delivering a small-for-gestational-age infant, independent of potential confounding factors such as age, height, weight, nationality, educational level, and the mother's own active smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7). A stratified analysis indicated interactional effects of maternal smoking and passive smoking on relative small-for-gestational-age risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on an attributable risk estimate, a considerable reduction in the incidence of small-for-gestational-age births could be reached if pregnant women were not exposed to passive smoking.
Dejin-Karlsson
E
E
Department of Community Medicine, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden.
Hanson
B S
BS
Ostergren
P O
PO
Sjöberg
N O
NO
Marsal
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution