Association of maternal smoking during pregnancy with infant hospitalization and mortality due to infectious diseases

Early-life exposure to cigarette smoke primes lung function and DNA methylation changes at Cyp1a1 upon exposure later in life

Prenatal and early-life exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) has repeatedly been shown to induce stable, long-term changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) in offspring. It has been hypothesized that these changes might be functionally related to the known outcomes of prenatal and early-life CS exposure, which include impaired lung development, altered lung function, and increased risk of asthma and wheeze. However, to date, few studies have examined DNAm changes induced by prenatal CS in tissues of the lung, and even fewer have attempted to examine the specific influences of prenatal versus early postnatal exposures. Here, we have established a mouse model of CS exposure which isolates the effects of prenatal and early postnatal CS exposures in early life. We have used this model to measure the effects of prenatal and/or postnatal CS exposures on lung function and immune cell infiltration as well as DNAm and expression of Cyp1a1, a candidate gene previously observed to demonstrate DNAm differences on CS exposure in humans. Our study revealed that exposure to CS prenatally and in the early postnatal period causes long-lasting differences in offspring lung function, gene expression, and lung Cyp1a1 DNAm, which wane over time but are reestablished on reexposure to CS in adulthood. This study creates a testable mouse model that can be used to investigate the effects of prenatal and early postnatal CS exposures and will contribute to the design of intervention strategies to mediate these detrimental effects.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Here, we isolated effects of prenatal from early postnatal cigarette smoke and showed that exposure to cigarette smoke early in life causes changes in offspring DNA methylation at Cyp1a1 that last through early adulthood but not into late adulthood. We also showed that smoking in adulthood reestablished these DNA methylation patterns at Cyp1a1, suggesting that a mechanism other than DNA methylation results in long-term memory associated with early-life cigarette smoke exposures at this gene.

Tobacco Exposure During Pregnancy and Infections in Infants up to 1 Year of Age: The Japan Environment and Children's Study

BACKGROUND

Tobacco exposure during pregnancy is associated with several adverse outcomes in infants. We investigated the association between tobacco exposure during pregnancy (both active and second-hand) and various infections in infants up to 1 year.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study used a fixed dataset (jecs-an-20180131) from the Japan Environment and Children's Study of registered births in Japan during 2011-2014 that included 104,065 fetal records from enrolled pregnant women. Based on the participants' responses to the questionnaire on smoking status, mothers were first divided into "never smoked," "quit smoking," and "current smoker" groups and then into "no second-hand smoking (SHS)" and "SHS" groups. Infectious diseases included central nervous system infection, otitis media (OM), upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), gastroenteritis (GI), and urinary tract infection. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression analysis and adjusted for maternal, socioeconomic, and postnatal confounding factors.

RESULTS

Among the 73,205 newborns enrolled, multivariable analysis revealed that the aOR of LRTI and GI was 1.20 (95% CI, 1.07-1.33) and 1.18 (95% CI, 1.04-1.35), respectively, for the "current smoker with/without SHS" group compared with the "never smoked without SHS" group. "Quit smoking without SHS" was not associated with the risk of LRTI. SHS was associated with an increased risk of OM, URTI, LRTI, and GI, especially with LRTI and GI.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of OM, URTI, LRTI, and GI in infants during their first year of life.

Clinical predictors of wheeze trajectories and associations with allergy in Asian children

BACKGROUND

Childhood wheezing is a highly heterogeneous condition with an incomplete understanding of the characteristics of wheeze trajectories, particularly for persistent wheeze.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize predictors and allergic comorbidities of distinct wheeze trajectories in a multiethnic Asian cohort.

METHODS

A total of 974 mother-child pairs from the prospective Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort were included in this study. Wheeze and allergic comorbidities in the first 8 years of life were assessed using the modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaires and skin prick tests. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to derive wheeze trajectories and regression was used to assess associations with predictive risk factors and allergic comorbidities.

RESULTS

There were 4 wheeze trajectories derived, including the following: (1) early-onset with rapid remission from age 3 years (4.5%); (2) late-onset peaking at age 3 years and rapidly remitting from 4 years (8.1%); (3) persistent with a steady increase to age 5 years and high wheeze occurrence until 8 years (4.0%); and (4) no or low wheeze (83.4%). Early-onset wheezing was associated with respiratory infections during infancy and linked to subsequent nonallergic rhinitis throughout childhood. Late-onset and persistent wheeze shared similar origins characterized by parent-reported viral infections in later childhood. However, persistent wheezing was generally more strongly associated with a family history of allergy, parent-reported viral infections in later childhood, and allergic comorbidities as compared with late-onset wheezing.

CONCLUSION

The timing of viral infection occurrence may determine the type of wheeze trajectory development in children. Children with a family history of allergy and viral infections in early life may be predisposed to persistent wheeze development and the associated comorbidities of early allergic sensitization and eczema.

Dose-response association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and the risk of infant death: a nationwide, population-based, retrospective cohort study

Background

Association of timing and intensity of maternal smoking during pregnancy with all-cause and cause-specific infant death remains inconclusive. We aimed to examine the dose-response association of maternal smoking during each of the three trimesters of pregnancy with all-cause and cause-specific infant death.

Methods

In this nationwide, population-based, retrospective cohort study, data were extracted from the U.S. National Vital Statistics System, 2015-2019. We included mother-infant pairs after excluding twin or multiple births, newborns with gestation age <37 weeks and those with low birthweight, mothers aged <18 years or ≥50 years, mothers with pre-existing hypertension or diabetes, and those with missing values for variables of interest. Poisson regression models were used to examine the association of different intensities and doses of maternal smoking during each of the three trimesters of pregnancy with all-cause and cause-specific infant death attributed to congenital anomalies, preterm birth, other perinatal conditions, sudden unexpected infant death, and infection.

Findings

A total of 13,524,204 mother-infant pairs were included in our analyses. Maternal smoking during the entire pregnancy was associated with infant all-cause death (relative risk [RR] 1.88, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.79-1.97), cause-specific death due to preterm birth (1.57, 1.25-1.98), perinatal conditions excluding preterm birth (1.35, 1.10-1.65), sudden unexpected infant death (2.56, 2.40-2.73), and infection (1.51, 1.20-1.88). The risk of infant all-cause death (RR values from 1.80 to 2.15) and cause-specific infant death by preterm birth (RR values from 1.42 to 1.74), perinatal conditions excluding preterm birth (RR values from 1.46 to 1.53), sudden unexpected infant death (RR values from 2.37 to 3.04), and infection (RR values from 1.48 to 2.69) increased with the intensity of maternal cigarette use during the entire pregnancy from 1-5 to ≥11 cigarettes. Compared with mothers who smoked during their entire pregnancy, those who smoked in the first trimester and then quit smoking in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy had a reduced risk of infant all-cause death (0.71, 0.65-0.78) and sudden unexpected infant death (0.64, 0.57-0.72).

Interpretation

There was a dose-response association of maternal cigarette use during each of the three trimesters of pregnancy with all-cause and cause-specific infant death. In addition, mothers who are smokers in the first trimester and then quit smoking in the subsequent two trimesters are at decreased risk of infant all-cause mortality and sudden unexpected infant death compared with those who smoked during the entire pregnancy. These findings suggest that there is no safe level of maternal smoking in any trimester of pregnancy and maternal smokers should stop smoking during pregnancy to improve the survival of infants.

Funding

Youth Team of Humanistic and Social Science and the Innovation Team of the "Climbing" Program of Shandong University (20820IFYT1902).

Maternal smoking during pregnancy and long-term ophthalmic morbidity of the offspring

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether smoking during pregnancy is correlated with long-term ophthalmic complications of the offspring.

STUDY DESIGN

A population-based cohort analysis was performed comparing all deliveries of mothers who reported smoking during pregnancy and non-smoking mothers between 1991 and 2014 at a single tertiary medical center. Hospitalizations of the offspring up to the age of 18 years involving ophthalmic morbidities were evaluated according to a predefined set of ICD-9 codes. A Kaplan-Meier curve was used to compare cumulative hospitalization rate in exposed and unexposed offspring and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to control for confounders.

RESULTS

During the study period, 243,680 deliveries met the inclusion criteria. Of them, 2965 (1.2%) were children of smoking mothers. Ophthalmic-related hospitalizations were significantly higher in children born to smoking mothers, as compared with the non-smoking group (1.4% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.01). Specifically, these hospitalizations were due to higher rates of visual disturbance rate and ophthalmic infections. The Kaplan-Meier curve demonstrated a significant higher cumulative incidence of ophthalmic-related hospitalizations in the smoking group (log rank p < 0.001). Using a Cox proportional hazards model, controlling for potential confounders, maternal tobacco use was found to be independently associated with long-term ophthalmic morbidity of the offspring (adjusted HR = 1.51, CI 1.11-2.04).

CONCLUSION

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for long-term ophthalmic morbidity of the offspring. These results are in line with many recent studies that strongly support maternal smoking cessation during pregnancy due to high offspring morbidity risk.

Age- and sex-specific prevalence of serious bacterial infections in febrile infants ≤60 days, in Sweden

AIM

The aim of the study was to describe age- and sex-specific prevalence of serious bacterial infections (SBI: urinary tract infection, bacteraemia, meningitis) among febrile infants ≤60 days in Sweden.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study in 4 Pediatric Emergency Departments from 2014 to 2017, in previously healthy, full-term infants ≤60 days with fever without a source.

RESULTS

Of the 1,701 included infants, 214 (12.6%; 95% CI, 11.1-14.3) had an SBI. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed in 196 (11.5%; 95% CI, 10.0-13.1) patients. In the ≤28 and 29-60 days age-groups, meningitis prevalence was 0.9% (95% CI, 0.3-2.0) and 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1-0.8), whereas bacteraemia prevalence was 3.2% (95% CI, 1.9-4.9) and 0.6% (95% CI, 0.2-1.3). The SBI prevalence was higher in boys 16.0% (95% CI, 13.8-18.5) than girls 8.0% (95% CI, 6.2-10.2; p<0.001), due to 2-fold higher UTI risk. The prevalence of meningitis in boys was 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1- 0.9) vs. 0.7% (95% CI, 0.2-1.6) in girls and of bacteraemia 1.8% (95% CI, 1.0-2.8) vs. 1.0% (95% CI, 0.4-2.0), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The total SBI prevalence was 12.6%, and UTI represented the vast majority. The prevalence of bacteraemia and meningitis was low, particularly in the 29-60 days age group, without significant difference between boys and girls.

Maternal Smoking in Pregnancy and Child's Hospital Use up to 5 Years of Age in a Data Linkage Birth Cohort

OBJECTIVES

To examine if exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with emergency department (ED) presentation and admission through the ED in children up to 5 years after birth.

METHODS

Antenatal records of all children up to 5 years of age who were born in Tasmania, Australia, between July 2008 and June 2014 were linked to health service use (ED presentations and hospital admissions). Negative binomial regression was used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at ≤1 year and ≤5 years for ED presentations and admissions to the hospital through the ED for any reason and by 9 major disease categories for children exposed versus children not exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy. Models were adjusted for sex, socioeconomic position, maternal age at birth, and region of residence. Presentations and admissions for poisoning and injuries were used as a negative control.

RESULTS

Among 36 630 infants, 21% were exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy. Exposed children had a 26% higher rate of presentation to the ED (IRR_adjusted 1.26; 95% CI 1.23-1.29) and a 45% higher rate of admission (IRR_adjusted 1.45; 95% CI 1.39-1.51) at up to 5 years of age. Compared with the negative control, higher presentation and admission rates were evident in respiratory; eyes, ears, nose, and throat; psychosocial; and infectious disease categories.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher health care service use was observed in children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy for a range of conditions associated with exposure to smoking. The findings reinforce the need to reduce smoking among people in their childbearing years.

Interaction of chorioamnionitis at term with maternal, fetal and obstetrical factors as predictors of neonatal mortality: a population-based cohort study

Background

Chorioamnionitis is a frequent complication of pregnancy and is known to be associated with serious adverse post-natal outcomes including death. However, the assessment of fetal well-being in labor in the context of chorioamnionitis is often challenging because of fetal tachycardia. Identifying specific risk factors for adverse neonatal outcomes in the context of chorioamnionitis could therefore be of paramount importance. This study aimed to determine if maternal and fetal risk factors for increased neonatal mortality and early neonatal mortality are modified in the context of chorioamnionitis in term pregnancies.

Methods

A retrospective population-based cohort study using the United States birth/infant death public file from 2011 to 2013 was performed, including all live births at 37 weeks gestation and beyond. Interaction between chorioamnionitis and maternal demographic variables as well as labor and delivery potential risk factors were analyzed for association with neonatal death (< 28 days) and early neonatal death (< 7 days) using multivariate logistic regressions.

Results

Among 9,034,428 live births, the prevalence of chorioamionitis was 1.29% (95% CI 1.28–1.30%). The incidence of neonatal death and early neonatal death were 0.09 and 0.06% in the chorioamnionitis group versus 0.06 and 0.04% in the no chorioamnionitis group (p = 0.0003 and < 0.0001), respectively. Smoking was significantly associated with neonatal death and early neonatal death in the context of chorioamnionitis (OR 2.44, CI:1.34–4.43/ 2.36 CI:1.11–5.01) but was either less strongly or not associated in the absence of chorioamnionitis (OR 1.24, CI:1.14–1.35/0.93, CI:0.82–1.05). The association between gestational age (37 weeks compared to 39 weeks) and neonatal death was more important in the context of chorioamnionitis (OR = 3.19, CI: 1.75–5.82 versus 1.63, CI: 1.49–1.79). Multivariate analysis identified the following risk factors for neonatal death and/or early neonatal death: low maternal education, extreme maternal age, obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m²), late or no prenatal care, diabetes, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, gestational ages other than 39 weeks, neonatal weight < 2500 g and delivery by vacuum or caesarian.

Conclusions

Smoking as well as early term have a positive interaction with chorioamnionitis for the risk of neonatal mortality. This should be taken into account when counseling pregnant women and managing laboring pregnant women with suspected chorioamnionitis.

Evaluation of the safety, tolerance and efficacy of 1-year consumption of infant formula supplemented with Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 Lc40 or Bifidobacterium breve CECT7263: a randomized controlled trial

Background

The microorganism present in breast milk, added to other factors, determine the colonization of infants. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the safety, tolerance and effects of the consumption of a milk formula during the first year of life that is supplemented with L. fermentum CECT5716 or Bifidobacterium breve CECT7263, two strains originally isolated from breast milk.

Methods

A randomized, double blind, controlled, parallel group study including healthy, formula-fed infants was conducted. Two hundred and thirty-six 1-month-old infants were selected and randomly divided into three study groups according to a randomization list. Infants in the control group received a standard powdered infant formula until 12 months of age. Infants in the probiotic groups received the same infant formula but supplemented with L. fermentum CECT5716 Lc40 or B. breve CECT7263. Main outcome was weigh-gain of infants as safety marker.

Results

One hundred and eighty-nine infants completed the eleven months of intervention (61 in control group, 65 in Lf group and 63 in Bb group). The growth of infants in the three groups was consistent with standards. No significant differences were observed in the main outcome, weight-gain (Control group: 5.77 Kg ± 0.95, Lf group: 5.77 Kg ± 1.31, Bb group: 5.58 Kg ± 1.10; p = 0.527). The three milk formulae were well tolerated, and no adverse effects were related to the consumption of any of the formula. Infants receiving B. breve CECT7263 had a 1.7 times lower risk of crying than the control group (OR = 0.569, CI 95% 0.568–0.571; p = 0.001). On the other hand, the incidence of diarrhoea in infants receiving the formula supplemented with L. fermentum CECT5716 was a 44% lower than in infants receiving the control formula (p = 0.014). The consumption of this Lactobacillus strain also reduced the duration of diarrhoea by 2.5 days versus control group (p = 0.044).

Conclusions

The addition of L. fermentum CECT5716 Lc40 or B. breve CECT7263, two probiotic strains naturally found in breast milk, to infant formulae is safe and induces beneficial effects on the health of infants.

Trial registration

The trial was retrospectively registered in the US Library of Medicine (www.clinicaltrial.gov) with the number NCT03204630. Registered 11 August 2016.

Prevalence and predictors of maternal smoking prior to and during pregnancy in a regional Danish population: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Maternal smoking is still a major public health problem posing the risk of several negative health outcomes for both the pregnant woman and her offspring. The prevalence of maternal smoking in Denmark and other high-income countries has decreased continuously since the 1980s, and a prevalence below 10% of women who continue to smoke during pregnancy has been reported in studies after 2010. Previous studies have shown that low socioeconomic status is associated with maternal smoking. Information from the Danish Birth Register about maternal smoking shows that the prevalence of women who report to smoke in pregnancy has decreased continuously with 23.3% who reported ever smoking in pregnancy in 2000, 12.9% in 2010 and 9.0% in 2017. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of maternal smoking at the time of conception and at 20 weeks of gestation in a regional Danish population, to describe differences in maternal characteristics among smokers, quitters and never-smokers, and to estimate predictors of smoking at the time of conception.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at the Department of Obstetrics, Zealand University Hospital, Denmark from August 2015 to March 2016 (n = 566). The main outcome was smoking at the time of conception and at 20 weeks of gestation. The questionnaire also collected information about maternal, health-related and sociodemographic characteristics. Descriptive analysis was conducted, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the potential associated predictors (adjusted odds ratio).

RESULTS

The prevalence of self-reported smoking at the time of conception was 16% (n = 90) and 6% smoked at 20 weeks of gestation (n = 35), as 61% of smokers quit smoking during early pregnancy. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that significant predictors for smoking at conception were the socioeconomic factors; ≤12 years of education, shift work and being unemployed.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of self-reported maternal smoking in this regional Danish population of pregnant women is lower than seen in previous studies. However, predictors for smoking at the time of conception remain to be factors of low socioeconomic status confirming a social inequality in maternal smoking. Women at risk of smoking during pregnancy must be identified in early pregnancy or even before pregnancy and be offered interventions to help them quit smoking.

Impact of maternal smoking on early childhood health: a retrospective cohort linked dataset analysis of 697 003 children born in Scotland 1997-2009

OBJECTIVE

Smoking during pregnancy is associated with adverse health impacts on mother and child. We used a large linked Scottish dataset to produce contemporary estimates of the impact on child health, particularly hospitalisation.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study linking birth, death, maternity, infant health, child health surveillance and admission records. We examined the association between smoking status at maternity booking and pregnancy outcomes, hospital admission and death during the first 5 years of life. Models were adjusted for maternal age, socioeconomic status, infant feeding, country of birth, sex, parity and delivery mode. We calculated population attributable fraction (PAF) for each outcome.

SETTING

Scotland, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

Singleton births between 1997 and 2009 (n=697 003) followed to March 2012.

RESULTS

332 386 children had at least one admission by 31 March 2012. There were 56 588 born small for gestational age, 40 492 prematurely and 1074 postneonatal deaths. Within the first 5 years of life, 56 615 children had at least one admission for acute respiratory infections, 24 088 for bronchiolitis and 7549 for asthma. Maternal smoking significantly increased admission for acute respiratory infections (adjusted HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.34, PAF 6.7%) and bronchiolitis (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.38 to 1.48 under 1 year, PAF 10.1%), asthma (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.37 age 1-5 years, PAF 7.1%) and bacterial meningitis (HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.71, PAF 11.8%) age 0-5 years. Neonatal mortality (adjusted OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.49, PAF 6.7%), postneonatal mortality (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.87 to 2.53, PAF 22.3%), small for gestational age (OR 2.67, 95% CI 2.62 to 2.73, PAF 27.5%) and prematurity (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.44, PAF 8.8%) were higher among the offspring of smokers.

CONCLUSION

Smoking during pregnancy causes significant ill health and death among children born in Scotland. These findings support continued investment to reduce smoking among women before, during and after pregnancy as 50% of women will go on to have further children.

Breastfeeding and Respiratory Infections in the First 6 Months of Life: A Case Control Study

Background: Viral respiratory tract infections (VRI) are a major reason for hospitalization in children younger than 5 years. A case control study was conducted to investigate the potential role of breastfeeding in protecting children <1 year of age from VRI. Methods: Patients admitted for a respiratory tract infections routinely underwent a nasopharyngeal aspirate, which was tested with an RT-PCR for 14 respiratory viruses. Hospitalized infants positive for viruses were enrolled as cases; healthy controls were enrolled among patients admitted for ultrasound hip screening. The effect of breastfeeding on pertussis was investigated through multivariable analysis. Results: We enrolled a total of 496 patients: 238 cases and 258 healthy controls. Among cases, eighty-six patients (36.1%) had a rinovirus, 78 (32.8%) an RSV, 22 (9.2%) an adenovirus, and 37 (15.5%) a coinfections with multiple viruses. The number of households was significantly higher in cases (mean in cases 4.5; mean 3.7 in controls, p < 0.001) and the proportion of infants having siblings (79% in cases vs. 43% in controls, p < 0.001). Proportion of smoking mothers was higher in cases than in controls (21.4 vs. 10.1%, p = 0.001). Among cases 44.5% were exclusively breastfed at symptoms onset vs. 48.8% of healthy controls. According to the multivariable analysis, being exclusively breastfed at symptom onset was associated with a higher risk of viral respiratory infection (3.7; 95% CI 1.64-8.41), however a longer breastfeeding duration was protective (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.97-0.99). Also having at least one sibling was associated to a higher risk (OR 3.6; 95% CI 2.14-5.92) as well as having a smoking mother (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.33-4.89). Conclusions: Breastfeeding remains a mainstay of prevention for numerous diseases and its protective role increases with duration. However, being breastfed when mothers carry a respiratory infection may increase the risk of transmission, acting as a proxy for closer contacts. In future studies, potential confounding variables as pattern of contacts with other individuals, should be taken into account.

Pharmaceutical strategies for smoking cessation during pregnancy

Introduction: Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death worldwide, with over 7 million deaths per year. Smoking during pregnancy causes harm to the mother, fetus, and can result in problems for the infant from childhood into adulthood. Practitioners should ask all expectant mothers about tobacco use. For expectant mothers who smoke or recently quit, practitioners should advice to quit and provide psychosocial interventions. Rates of smoking during pregnancy differ between geographical locations, with estimates of 10.8% in the UK and 7.2% in the US. Practitioners should provide expectant mothers unable to quit smoking with information about the risks and benefits of pharmacotherapy and use a patient-centered approach to determine the use. Although there is no definitive evidence on birth outcomes, nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion are adequate pharmacotherapies to help those unable to quit. Areas covered: Herein, this author looks at the various pharmaceutical strategies to help patients cease smoking and provides expert perspectives on the subject. Expert opinion: Additional research on pharmacotherapy is warranted, especially with varenicline. Practitioners working with pregnant patients should be familiar with the evidence for pharmacotherapy in smoking cessation during pregnancy. This evidence can be difficult to navigate due to conflicting results and limitations with the trials.

Substance use in pregnancy: The medical challenge

Substance use contributes significantly to the global burden of disease. Growing numbers of women use nicotine, alcohol, and illicit substances. Women are the most vulnerable to problematic substance use in their reproductive years. The first 1000 days of life, starting at conception, have been established as a critical window of time for long-term health and development. Substance use in pregnancy is associated with negative pregnancy and child health outcomes. The impact of antenatal substance use on these outcomes needs to be considered within a challenging and complex context. This review provides an overview of the current literature on the impact of substances on pregnancy and child outcomes as well as the evidence and guidelines on screening and interventions for women using substances during pregnancy.

Tobacco Use and Smoke Exposure in Children: New Trends, Harm, and Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Every day in the USA, approximately 4000 adolescents begin smoking and the adolescent brain is particularly susceptible to nicotine addiction. We present current pediatric trends on tobacco use and exposures, various new products used by adolescents, the adverse biological and behavioral effects of tobacco use and exposures, and tobacco control strategies to eliminate tobacco-related illnesses and deaths in the pediatric population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Twelve-20% of women continue to smoke during pregnancy. New research reveals cognitive differences and behavior-control disorders are seen in elementary school children from prenatal and postnatal exposures. Traditional cigarette smoking has decreased in adolescents; novel and appealing tobacco products have captured their attention, particularly electronic cigarettes, and rates double and often triple from middle to high school. Children with asthma and those living in multi-housing units have higher rates of secondhand smoke exposure than non-asthmatics and children living in single-home dwellings. There is no "safe or risk-free" level of tobacco use or exposure. Tobacco use and exposure in childhood and adolescence must be decreased using evidenced-based strategies to improve child health.

Pesticides exposure through environment and risk of pre-term birth: a study from Agra city

Pre-term birth is an increasingly prevalent complex condition with multiple risk factors including environmental pollutants. Evidences linking organochlorine pesticides with adverse pregnancy outcomes are inconsistent for link between organochlorine pesticides and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We performed a case-control study of 50 cases of full-term births and 40 cases of pre-term births in this study. Placental organochlorine pesticides like metabolites of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane that is, (p,p-DDE, p,p-DDT and o,p-DDD) and isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (α, β, γ and δ HCH) were analyzed by gas chromatography. Although the mean levels of pesticide were found higher in the placenta of the women with pre-term delivery cases placentas, but only α-HCH, total-HCH, p,p-DDE and total-DDT were found statistically significant. It was observed that pesticide exposed women were approximately 1.7 times more likely to deliver pre-term baby as compare to pregnant women that were not exposed to any pesticides. We also observed that increasing maternal age reduced the risk of having pre-term birth (OR = 0.99). Among all pesticides, α-HCH was found to be strongest isomer to induce premature baby birth (p < 0.001). This study found that pregnant women's age and chronic disease, baby's weight at the time of birth and α-HCH were important risk factors for pre-term births.

Negative Temperature Differential in Preterm Infants Less Than 29 Weeks Gestational Age: Associations With Infection and Maternal Smoking

BACKGROUND

Hypothermia is related to increased morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants; continuous temperature monitoring is necessary. Thermoregulation is limited in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the research was to assess and describe negative temperature differential (NTD) and assess the associations of NTD with infant demographic characteristics, medical history, and clinical events.

METHODS

An exploratory, case study design was used. Abdominal and foot temperature was measured every minute over the first 2 weeks of life in 22 preterm infants at less than 29 weeks gestational age.

RESULTS

All infants experienced NTD. Daily NTD in all infants across all study days ranged from 0 to 70.7%; 2-week mean NTD over all infants ranged from 7.3% to 38.5%. Four infants treated for late onset of infection had a higher NTD than 18 infants without infection (M = 27.8%, SD = 9.52 vs. M = 16.4%, SD = 5.34, p < .05). Although not statistically significant, higher mean percentage of NTD was noted in infants having early onset infection (24.1% vs. 16.4%), African American race (20.0% vs. 15.3%), and/or being born to a mother who smoked during pregnancy (26.6% vs. 16.7%).

DISCUSSION

A larger study is needed to examine associations between NTD and race, maternal smoking history, and infection. NTD might be used as a biomarker to guide acute clinical care and identify infants at risk for acute and chronic morbidity.

IRIS - An Internet Based Intervention as a Suitable Path to Addictive Substance Use Prevention and Counselling in Pregnancy? Beneficiary Profiles and User Satisfaction

Alcohol or tobacco consumption in pregnancy can harm the unborn child. Counselling on this subject is therefore of major importance. The aim of the presented study was not only to develop an internet based, professionally e-mail accompanied platform for alcohol or tobacco consuming pregnant women ("IRIS Platform") but also to analyse the beneficiary profiles and investigate the practicability and acceptance of the platform among women and referring gynaecologists. The offer comprised three 12-week counselling programmes (alcohol, tobacco, combined consumption). Altogether 32 women registered within the recruitment period of 20 weeks, only 9 of them at the suggestion of gynaecologists. Thirty were enrolled. The average age was 31 years. Ten women were pregnant for the first time, 14 unplanned. Most of them were smokers (n = 29). 75 % (n = 12 of 16) of them had smoked in the previous pregnancies, 5 of 16 women had suffered miscarriages. Six women completed the entire 12 week programme. The abstinence rate after 3 months was min. 18.5 % (ITT) in the tobacco group, while in the alcohol programme 3 women achieved abstinence. Satisfaction was reported especially for the eCoach initiative. The results demonstrate that an internet-based service like IRIS can be a useful form of support for tobacco or alcohol consuming pregnant women. A particular challenge is the accessibility of the persons concerned and the form in which alcohol consuming pregnant women are approached in daily medical practice. The individual contact to the eCoach can be a decisive form of support and aid to motivation.

The Role of Nicotine in the Effects of Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy on Lung Development and Childhood Respiratory Disease. Implications for Dangers of E-Cigarettes

Use of e-cigarettes, especially among the young, is increasing at near-exponential rates. This is coupled with a perception that e-cigarettes are safe and with unlimited advertising geared toward vulnerable populations, the groups most likely to smoke or vape during pregnancy. There is now wide appreciation of the dangers of maternal smoking during pregnancy and the lifelong consequences this has on offspring lung function, including the increased risk of childhood wheezing and subsequent asthma. Recent evidence strongly supports that much of the effect of smoking during pregnancy on offspring lung function is mediated by nicotine, making it highly likely that e-cigarette use during pregnancy will have the same harmful effects on offspring lung function and health as do conventional cigarettes. In fact, the evidence for nicotine being the mediator of harm of conventional cigarettes may be most compelling for its effects on lung development. This raises concerns about both the combined use of e-cigarettes plus conventional cigarettes by smokers during pregnancy as well as the use of e-cigarettes by e-cigarette-only users who think them safe or by those sufficiently addicted to nicotine to not be able to quit e-cigarette usage during pregnancy. Thus, it is important for health professionals to be aware of the risks of e-cigarette usage during pregnancy, particularly as it pertains to offspring respiratory health.

Psychosocial Stress During First Pregnancy Predicts Infant Health Outcomes in the First Postnatal Year

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of psychosocial stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first postnatal year.

METHODS

A sample of 3000 women completed a stress inventory (the Psychosocial Hassles Scale) during their third trimester before first childbirth. Infant health outcomes were measured via maternal report at 1, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Poisson regression was used to model the effect of maternal stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first year, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, education, insurance coverage, marital status, and cigarette smoking during pregnancy.

RESULTS

Women who were younger, minority, unmarried, publicly insured and without a college degree were more likely to report high levels of prenatal stress. High prenatal stress was a significant predictor of maternal reporting of gastrointestinal illness (p < 0.0001), respiratory illness (p = 0.025), and total illness in the first year (p < 0.0001). High prenatal stress was also a significant predictor of urgent care visits (p < 0.0001) and emergency department visits (p = 0.001). It was not a significant predictor of hospitalizations (p = 0.36).

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal prenatal stress is associated with increased maternal reporting of infant illness, as well as increased frequency of both urgent care visits and emergency department visits.

Ancestry informative markers and selected single nucleotide polymorphisms in immunoregulatory genes on preterm labor and preterm premature rupture of membranes: a case control study

Background

A genetic predisposition to Preterm Labor (PTL) and Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) has been suggested; however the relevance of polymorphisms and ancestry to susceptibility to PTL and PPROM in different populations remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of maternal and fetal SNPs in the IL1B, IL6, IL6R, TNFA, TNFR, IL10, TLR2, TLR4, MMP9, TIMP1 and TIMP2 genes and the influence of ancestry background in the susceptibility to PTL or PPROM in Brazilian women.

Methods

Case–control study conducted at a tertiary hospital in São Paulo State, Brazil. We included women with PTL or PPROM and their babies (PTL: 136 women and 88 babies; PPROM: 65 women and 44 babies). Control group included 402 mother-babies pairs of term deliveries. Oral swabs were collected for identification of AIMs by fragment analysis and SNPs by Taqman® SNP Genotyping Assays and PCR. Linkage Disequilibrium and Hardy-Weinberg proportions were evaluated using Genepop 3.4. Haplotypes were inferred using the PHASE algorithm. Allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies were compared by Fisher’s exact test or χ² and Odds Ratio. Logistic regression was performed. Clinical and sociodemographic data were analyzed by Fisher’s exact test and Mann–Whitney.

Results

PTL was associated with European ancestry and smoking while African ancestry was protective. The fetal alleles IL10-592C (rs800872) and IL10-819C (rs1800871) were also associated with PTL and the maternal haplotype TNFA-308G-238A was protective. Maternal presence of IL10-1082G (rs1800896) and TLR2A (rs4696480) alleles increased the risk for PPROM while TNFA-238A (rs361525) was protective. Family history of PTL/PPROM was higher in cases, and time to delivery was influenced by IL1B-31T (rs1143627) and TLR4-299G (rs4986790).

Conclusion

There is an association between European ancestry and smoking and PTL in our Brazilian population sample. The presence of maternal or fetal alleles that modify the inflammatory response increase the susceptibility to PTL and PPROM. The family history of PTL/PPROM reinforces a role for genetic polymorphisms in susceptibility to these outcomes.

Marital Quality and Stress in Pregnancy Predict the Risk of Infectious Disease in the Offspring: The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore the degree to which couples' relationship dissatisfaction and stressful life events during pregnancy predict the risk of infectious disease in the offspring during their first year of life.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Pregnant women completed questionnaires in week 30 of pregnancy concerning the couples' relationship satisfaction and stressful life events. In follow-up questionnaires, the women reported whether their children (n = 74,801) had been subject to various categories of infectious disease: the common cold, throat infection, bronchitis, RS virus, pneumonia, pseudocroup, gastric flu, ear infection, conjunctivitis and urinary tract infection. Reports from two age groups of infants were used. Associations between the predictor and outcome variables were assessed via logistic regression and linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

Separate logistic regression analyses for each disease and age group showed that prenatal relationship dissatisfaction and stressful life events were significantly associated with all reported categories of infectious disease. After controlling for socioeconomic factors, social support, smoking, breastfeeding, maternal depression, the sex of the offspring, and use of child care, 29 out of 32 tested associations were statistically significant. Finally, multivariate linear regression analyses showed that prenatal relationship dissatisfaction and stressful life events were significantly associated with the frequency, as well as the variety, of infectious disease in the offspring.

Intimate partner violence increases adverse outcomes at birth and in early infancy

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) on birth outcomes and infant hospitalization.

STUDY DESIGN

Hospitalization records for the first 4 months of life for infants born in the Military Health System in 2006-2007 were linked to Family Advocacy Program-substantiated cases of IPV among military parents. Adverse outcomes were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Logistic regression modeling calculated the OR of children exposed to IPV experiencing adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 204,546 infants were born during the study period. Among these, 173,026 infants (85%) were linked to active duty military parents. 31,603 infants (18%) experienced adverse outcomes, and 3059 infants (1.8%) were born into families with IPV. The infants exposed to IPV had a 31% increased odds of experiencing adverse outcomes compared with infants without known IPV exposure. IPV exposure increased the odds of the following outcomes: prematurity (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.29-1.62), low birth weight (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.25-1.97), respiratory problems (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.32), neonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.20-1.61), and postneonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.29-1.81). After controlling for prematurity and demographic variables, IPV exposure was associated with low birth weight (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.16-1.99), neonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.02-1.49), and postneonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.03-1.56).

CONCLUSION

Infants exposed to IPV are more likely to experience adverse birth outcomes and infant hospitalization. Routinely addressing IPV during prenatal and early pediatric visits may potentially prevent these adverse outcomes.

Physical, behavioral, and cognitive effects of prenatal tobacco and postnatal secondhand smoke exposure

The purpose of this review is to examine the rapidly expanding literature regarding the effects of prenatal tobacco and postnatal secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure on child health and development. Mechanisms of SHS exposure are reviewed, including critical periods during which exposure to tobacco products appears to be particularly harmful to the developing fetus and child. The biological, biochemical, and neurologic effects of the small fraction of identified components of SHS are described. Research describing these adverse effects of both in utero and childhood exposure is reviewed, including findings from both animal models and humans. The following adverse physical outcomes are discussed: sudden infant death syndrome, low birth weight, decreased head circumference, respiratory infections, otitis media, asthma, childhood cancer, hearing loss, dental caries, and the metabolic syndrome. In addition, the association between the following adverse cognitive and behavioral outcomes and such exposures is described: conduct disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, poor academic achievement, and cognitive impairment. The evidence supporting the adverse effects of SHS exposure is extensive yet rapidly expanding due to improving technology and increased awareness of this profound public health problem. The growing use of alternative tobacco products, such as hookahs (a.k.a. waterpipes), and the scant literature on possible effects from prenatal and secondhand smoke exposure from these products are also discussed. A review of the current knowledge of this important subject has implications for future research as well as public policy and clinical practice.

Smoking and pregnancy--a review on the first major environmental risk factor of the unborn

Smoking cigarettes throughout pregnancy is one of the single most important avoidable causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes and it represents the first major environmental risk of the unborn. If compared with other risk factors in the perinatal period, exposure to tobacco smoke is considered to be amongst the most harmful and it is associated with high rates of long and short term morbidity and mortality for mother and child. A variety of adverse pregnancy outcomes are linked with cigarette consumption before and during pregnancy. Maternal prenatal cigarette smoke disturbs the equilibrium among the oxidant and antioxidant system, has negative impact on the genetic and cellular level of both mother and fetus and causes a large quantity of diseases in the unborn child. These smoking-induced damages for the unborn offspring manifest themselves at various times in life and for most only a very limited range of causal treatment exists. Education, support and assistance are of high importance to decrease maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, as there are few other avoidable factors which influence a child's health that profoundly throughout its life. It is imperative that smoking control should be seen as a public health priority.