Patricia M. Dietz, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues analyzed data from more than 3.3 million singleton live births in 2002 from the U.S. Linked Birth/Infant Death Data set. In this, 49 states used the same standardized smoking-related question on birth certificates.

The researchers found that 11.5 percent of the infants were exposed to prenatal smoking. This smoking was associated with a higher risk of preterm deliveries (adjusted odds ratios [aORs], 1.5 for very preterm delivery, 1.4 for moderate, and 1.2 for late). Prenatal smoking was also associated with term low birth weight deliveries (aOR, 2.3), sudden infant death syndrome (aOR, 2.7), and preterm-related deaths (aOR, 1.5). The researchers estimated that up to 7.7 percent of preterm deliveries, up to 19 percent of term low birth weight deliveries, up to 33.6 percent of SIDS, and up to 7.3 percent of preterm-related deaths were likely caused by prenatal smoking.

"Prenatal smoking prevalence is decreasing; however, in some states prenatal smoking prevalence is as high as 36 percent, more than three times the national average," the authors write. "On the clinical level, prenatal care providers can assess smoking status, offer smoking cessation interventions, or refer patients who smoke to effective cessation services."

Abstract
Full Text

This article: Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.