Exposure to Second-hand Smoke During Pregnancy and Preterm Delivery

BACKGROUND: Prematurity is an issue related to increasing the neonatal morbidity and mortality and smoking pregnant women cause the risk of low birth weight and prematurity increase, compared to non-smoking ones. OBJECTIVES: This study investigates second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure's effects over pregnant women on gestational age and birth weight. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this descriptive-analytic study, 205 women referred to both public and private hospitals in the third trimester were questioned about second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure during pregnancy. In addition to birth weight and gestational age, other variables including mother's education and job and sex of the newborns were also assessed. RESULTS: Of all 205 women, 43 (20.97%) women exposed to SHS during pregnancy and 162 (79.02%) women did not. In SHS exposure group, 11 infant (25.6%) and in non- SHS exposure group, 17 infant (10.5%), were born prematurely (< 37 weeks) (P = 0.01). Also birth weight of newborn in non-SHS exposure group was 118 gram more than other group but the differences were not significant (P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that the secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure of pregnant women may be significantly associated with early preterm delivery.