Sudden infant death syndrome, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation intervention.
OBJECTIVE
This study analyzed the relationship between prenatal maternal smoking and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and examined the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions.


METHODS
All recorded US singleton SIDS deaths from the 1995 birth cohort with birthweight exceeding 500 g were investigated. Infants with available maternal smoking data were matched with controls who survived to 1 year. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate SIDS risks and accompanying cost-effectiveness.


RESULTS
A total of 23.6% of singleton SIDS deaths appear to be attributable to prenatal maternal smoking. Typical cessation services available to all pregnant smokers could avert 108 SIDS deaths annually, at an estimated cost of $210,500 per life saved.


CONCLUSIONS
Typical prenatal smoking cessation programs are highly cost-effective but have limited impact on the population incidence of SIDS.
Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 109 Observatory, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA. haroldp@sph.umich.edu
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Pollack
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000191:economics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics*; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control