We studied the impact of maternal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on birth weight (BW), low birth weight (LBW), and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) according to self-reported maternal smoking habits in a sample of 6,866 singleton births. We obtained data about parental characteristics and maternal active smoking (AS) and passive smoking at delivery via maternal questionnaires and medical records. We used three categories of smoking habits (nonsmokers and those who smoked 1-10 or >10 cigarettes per day) and defined ETS exposure as greater than or equal to 5 cigarettes per day smoked by others in the mother's presence. We used multiple regression and logistic regression procedures with adjustment for many associated covariates. We observed a significant reduction of the mean BW in infants of AS mothers. This reduction was only marginal for mothers who stopped smoking after recognizing their pregnancy. ETS exposure in 1,797 of 5,507 nonsmoking mothers reduced the mean BW of their infants by 53 g [95% confidence interval (CI), 24-82 g]. ETS exposure also significantly reduced BW in babies of AS mothers by 92 g (CI, 21-113 g) compared with BW of ETS-nonexposed AS mothers. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of LBW for ETS-exposed AS mothers was two times the LBW risk of ETS-nonexposed AS mothers(2.02; CI, 1.11-3.67); the AOR of ETS-exposed nonsmoking mothers was 1.51 (CI, 1.02-2.26). The AOR of IUGR for this group did not differ from unity (1.08; CI, 0.82-1.43). However, ETS exposure increased the AOR of IUGR for AS mothers from 1.64 (CI, 1.06-2.53) to 2.13 (CI, 1.70-2.67). ETS exposure reduced the BW of infants of nonsmoking mothers and contributed to additional BW reduction in infants of AS mothers. ETS exposure increased the risk of LBW but not that of IUGR in babies of nonsmoking mothers.

Laboratory of Genetic Ecotoxicology Regional Institute of Hygiene of Central Bohemia and Institute of Experimental Medicine Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic

See more in PubMed

Semin Neonatol. 2000 Aug;5(3):231-41 PubMed

Am J Epidemiol. 1997 Jul 1;146(1):32-41 PubMed

Environ Health Perspect. 2000 Dec;108(12):1159-64 PubMed

Environ Health Perspect. 2001 Jun;109(6):557-61 PubMed

Am J Epidemiol. 1965 Nov;82(3):247-61 PubMed

Am J Epidemiol. 1986 Oct;124(4):633-42 PubMed

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1988 Aug;159(2):481-4 PubMed

Lancet. 1989 Jul 1;2(8653):54-5 PubMed

Arch Environ Health. 1990 Mar-Apr;45(2):74-9 PubMed

J Epidemiol Community Health. 1991 Jun;45(2):164-8 PubMed

Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi. 1991 Feb;38(2):124-31 PubMed

Am Rev Respir Dis. 1992 Jan;145(1):53-7 PubMed

Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1992 Apr;99(4):342-3 PubMed

J Natl Cancer Inst. 1992 Sep 16;84(18):1417-22 PubMed

Am J Public Health. 1993 Feb;83(2):207-10 PubMed

Environ Mol Mutagen. 1997;30(2):184-95 PubMed

Int J Epidemiol. 1998 Aug;27(4):647-56 PubMed

Am J Epidemiol. 1999 Feb 1;149(3):243-7 PubMed

Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 1999 Jan;13(1):35-57 PubMed

Environ Health Perspect. 1999 Apr;107(4):A196-201 PubMed

Hum Exp Toxicol. 1999 Apr;18(4):202-5 PubMed

Environ Health Perspect. 1999 Jun;107(6):475-80 PubMed

Ugeskr Laeger. 1999 Sep 6;161(36):4985-6 PubMed

Am J Epidemiol. 1999 Oct 1;150(7):695-705 PubMed

Mutat Res. 1999 Jul 16;428(1-2):203-15 PubMed

Scand J Soc Med. 1993 Sep;21(3):197-202 PubMed

Am J Epidemiol. 1994 Feb 1;139(3):294-301 PubMed

Acta Paediatr. 1995 Feb;84(2):118-21 PubMed

Am J Epidemiol. 1995 Sep 1;142(5):525-30 PubMed

Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1997;37:29-52 PubMed

Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 1997 Apr;11(2):140-51 PubMed

J Epidemiol. 2000 Sep;10(5):335-43 PubMed

Impact of Air Pollution on the Health of the Population in Parts of the Czech Republic

Coal home heating and environmental tobacco smoke in relation to lower respiratory illness in Czech children, from birth to 3 years of age