Smoking before, during pregnancy yields higher risk of neonatal problems

Smoking before or during pregnancy may be linked to a heightened risk of adverse neonatal outcomes.

In a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, investigators analyzed the data of 12.2 million mother-infant pairs and identified mothers who smoked or didn’t smoke three months prior to pregnancy and during the first, second and third trimesters.

Compared with the mothers who didn’t smoke, the mothers who did smoke prior to and during pregnancy had a higher risk of adverse neonatal outcomes — including assisted ventilation immediately after delivery, assisted ventilation for over six hours, neonatal intensive care unit admission, suspected neonatal sepsis and neonatal seizure or serious neurologic dysfunction. Even smoking just one to two cigarettes per day prior to pregnancy was found to increase the risk of these outcomes.

The findings underscored the potential harms of maternal smoking both prior to and during pregnancy. The investigators hope their research can help inform clinical practice and public health efforts aimed at reducing smoking among women of reproductive age.

Read more: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

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