title: Prenatal smoking and risk of intrapartum stillbirth.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between prenatal smoking and intrapartum stillbirth by the use of a cohort of singleton births in Missouri from 1978 through 1997. Overall, the authors identified a total of 7,325 counts of stillbirth, yielding a stillbirth rate of 4.4 per 1,000. The timing of the occurrence of the stillbirth to onset of labor was specified in 85.6% (n = 6,273). Of these, 1,070 (17.0%) occurred intrapartum. Smoking mothers were 50% more likely to experience intrapartum fetal death as compared with nonsmoking gravidas (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.5; 95% confidence interval = 1.3-1.7). Women who smoked 10 to 19 cigarettes per day were at the highest risk of experiencing intrapartum stillbirth (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.7 [95% confidence interval = 1.4-2.0]). Our findings underscore the need for increased smoking-cessation education efforts targeted toward pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Muktar H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Aliyu
authors.forename: Hamisu M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Salihu
authors.forename: Ronee E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Russell S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kirby
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011295:Prenatal Care; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires