Effects of passive smoking on outcome in pregnancy

• Published in: Journal of postgraduate medicine (Bombay) 2004-01, Vol.50 (1), p.12
• Main Author: Goel P, Radotra A, Singh I, Aggarwal A, Dua D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Nonsmokers; Passive smoking; Passive smoking, environmental tobacco smoke, pregnancy, outcome, small-for-gestation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnant women; Risk Assessment; Socioeconomic Factors; Tobacco Smoke Pollution
• ISSN: 0022-3859; 0972-2823

Background: Adverse health effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) among non-smokers have been studied occasionally in developing countries. Aims: To study the effects of exposure to ETS on outcome in pregnancy Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study at a secondary level teaching hospital Material and Methods: Consecutive 576 non-smoking women delivering a singleton live baby were studied. A pre-designed structured questionnaire was used to record the details of exposure to ETS at home. The maternal and foetal variables were compared among those who were exposed to ETS vis-à-vis not exposed. Unpaired Student t-test was used for the comparison of continuous variables and Fisher's Exact test was used for categorical variables. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed after including all variables found to have significant differences on univariate analysis. Results: Of the 576 women studied 141 (24%) were exposed to ETS. In the mothers exposed to ETS, there was a significantly higher incidence of pre-term birth (24.1% vs. 16.1%; P = 0.027) and small-for-gestation babies (31.9% vs.17.2%; p