AIMS: This study investigated associations between smoking and maternal asthma and two indicators of pregnancy outcome: birth weight and preterm delivery. METHODS: Data were gathered as part of the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study. Mothers of a cohort of 1398 Pacific infants born in South Auckland, New Zealand during 2000 were interviewed when their infants were 6 weeks old. Mothers were questioned regarding maternal health and lifestyle behaviours such as cigarette smoking. Additional data were obtained from hospital records. Analyses focused on 1368 biological mothers. RESULTS: Approximately 20% of mothers reported smoking during their last trimester of pregnancy. Logistic regression analyses showed that smokers had over twice the risk of having maternal asthma as well as a low birth weight (LBW) or small for gestational age (SGA) infant than non-smokers. Smoking significantly reduced mean birth weight from between 149.2 grams (1-9 cigarettes) to 204.3 grams (10+ cigarettes). No significant association was found between smoking and preterm birth. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking is preventable, yet continues to have negative consequences for mothers and their offspring. Findings can inform public health policy and smoking cessation programmes for Pacific families.
AIMS: This study investigated associations between smoking and maternal asthma and two indicators of pregnancy outcome: birth weight and preterm delivery. METHODS: Data were gathered as part of the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study. Mothers of a cohort of 1398 Pacific infants born in South Auckland, New Zealand during 2000 were interviewed when their infants were 6 weeks old. Mothers were questioned regarding maternal health and lifestyle behaviours such as cigarette smoking. Additional data were obtained from hospital records. Analyses focused on 1368 biological mothers. RESULTS: Approximately 20% of mothers reported smoking during their last trimester of pregnancy. Logistic regression analyses showed that smokers had over twice the risk of having maternal asthma as well as a low birth weight (LBW) or small for gestational age (SGA) infant than non-smokers. Smoking significantly reduced mean birth weight from between 149.2 grams (1-9 cigarettes) to 204.3 grams (10+ cigarettes). No significant association was found between smoking and preterm birth. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking is preventable, yet continues to have negative consequences for mothers and their offspring. Findings can inform public health policy and smoking cessation programmes for Pacific families.