Reducing tobacco smoking and smoke exposure to prevent preterm birth and its complications.
Tobacco smoking and smoke exposure during pregnancy are associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, including preterm birth. Also, children born preterm have a higher risk of complications including bronchopulmonary dysplasia and asthma when their mothers smoked during pregnancy. Smoking cessation in early pregnancy can help reduce the adverse impact on offspring health. Counselling interventions are effective in promoting smoking cessation and reducing the incidence of preterm birth. Peer support and incentive-based approaches are likely to be of additional benefit, whereas the effectiveness of pharmacological interventions, including nicotine replacement therapy, has not definitely been established. Smoke-free legislation can help reduce smoke exposure as well as maternal smoking rates at a population level, and is associated with a reduction in preterm birth. Helping future mothers to stop smoking and protect their children from second hand smoke exposure must be a key priority for health care workers and policy makers alike.
Division of Neonatology, Erasmus University Medical Centre - Sophia Children's Hospital, PO Box 2060, 3000CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: maryannwagijo@gmail.com.
Mary-Ann
MA
Wagijo
Centre of Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK; School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: aziz.sheikh@ed.ac.uk.
Aziz
A
Sheikh
Division of Neonatology, Erasmus University Medical Centre - Sophia Children's Hospital, PO Box 2060, 3000CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatrics, division of Respiratory Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Centre - Sophia Children's Hospital, PO Box 2060, 3000CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Centre, PO Box 2060, 3000CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: l.duijts@erasmusmc.nl.
Liesbeth
L
Duijts
Division of Neonatology, Erasmus University Medical Centre - Sophia Children's Hospital, PO Box 2060, 3000CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Centre of Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK; School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.been@erasmusmc.nl.
Jasper V
JV
Been
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D061845:Smoke-Free Policy; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
Infant; Pregnancy; Premature birth; Prevention; Smoke-free policy; Smoking; Smoking cessation; Tobacco use