Prevalence of pre-gestational and gestational smoking and factors associated with smoking cessation during pregnancy, Brazil, 2011-2012

Dual and Poly Use of Tobacco Products in a Sample of Pregnant Smokers: A Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to assess the use of dual/poly tobacco in a sample of pregnant women.

DESIGN

cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

Twenty prenatal care units in Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil. We evaluated 127 high-risk pregnant smokers during prenatal care. Those who were 12-38 weeks pregnant and were currently smoking conventional cigarettes. The study enrollment took place between January 2015 and December 2015. The dual/poly prevalence of tobacco products during pregnancy and the characteristics related to smoking in pregnant smokers through a specific questionnaire containing questions related to sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, gestational history, smoking history, secondhand smoke exposure, nicotine dependence, motivation stage and use of alternative forms of tobacco.

RESULTS

Mean age was 26.9 ± 6.6 years, most had only elementary education and belonged to lower income economic groups. Twenty-five (19.7%) smoked conventional cigarettes only while 102 used conventional and alternative forms of tobacco products. Smoking pack-years was significantly lower in those only smoking conventional cigarettes than in dual/poly users. Proportion of patients with elevated degree of nicotine dependence was higher in conventional cigarettes users. On the other side, alcohol intake was higher in dual/poly smokers when compared to conventional cigarettes group. The alternative forms of smoking were associated with significantly higher occurrences of comorbidities as pulmonary, cardiovascular and cancer.

CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE

The prevalence of alternative forms users of smoking products is high during pregnancy. These data reinforce the importance of a family approach towards smoking in pregnant women and education about the risks of alternative forms of tobacco.

Different intrauterine environments and children motor development in the first 6 months of life: a prospective longitudinal cohort

This prospective cohort longitudinal study examines the risk factors associated with different intrauterine environments and the influence of different intrauterine environments on children's motor development at 3- and 6-months of life. Participants were 346 mother/newborn dyads enrolled in the first 24 to 48 h after delivery in public hospitals. Four groups with no concurrent condition composed the sample: mothers with a clinical diagnosis of diabetes, mothers with newborns small for gestational age due to idiopathic intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), mothers who smoked tobacco during gestation, and a control group composed of mothers without clinical condition. Children were assessed at three- and six-months regarding motor development, weight, length, head circumference, and parents completed a socioeconomic questionnaire. The IUGR children had lower supine, sitting, and overall gross motor scores at 6 months than the other children's groups. Anthropometric and sociodemographic characteristics negatively influenced gross motor development. IUGR and anthropometric and sociodemographic characteristics negatively impact motor development. Intrauterine environment impact child neurodevelopment.

Mothers of children with Down syndrome: a clinical and epidemiological study

Down syndrome is the main genetic cause of intellectual disability. Many studies describe the clinical characteristics of DS patients; however, few have investigated the clinical profile of mothers who have children with DS. Advanced maternal age (≥ 35 years old) is a risk factor for DS. Although there is an overall increase in pregnancies among women with advanced maternal age, there is still a lack of awareness of the increased risk of aneuploidy. Here, we reported the clinical and epidemiological profile of DS children and their mothers in a public reference hospital in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For data collection, we performed a face-to-face interview guided by a structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions. A total of 344 individuals, 172 mothers and their DS children, were included in this study. Our results show that 56% of the mothers sampled were ≥ 35 years of age at childbirth. Although 98% of them received prenatal care, only 4% obtained a prenatal diagnosis of DS. Most mothers reported not drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes during pregnancy. Furthermore, 91% of women took prenatal vitamins and supplements; however, 47% were not aware of their benefits for a healthy pregnancy. Given the strict correlation between advanced maternal age and DS, prenatal care should include genetic counseling for women over 35 years of age. This study highlights the importance of prenatal care and the urgent need for better DS screening allowing for immediate postnatal care, positively impacting the life expectancy of these patients.

The Effect of Fear of COVID-19 on Smoking Cessation

Aim: We aimed to investigate the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and smoking cessation success. Methods: The study is an observational analytic study. It was conducted prospectively and we included people who applied to the smoking cessation outpatient clinic between 01 Oct 2020 and 31 Oct 2020 and agreed to participate in the study. A questionnaire prepared by the researchers, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence were applied to the participants. When necessary treatments had been initiated, a particular date is determined for each participant as a smoking cessation date. Participants were called in the 1st month and 3rd months from the smoking cessation day to enquire whether they quit smoking. Results: A total of 222 people participated in this study. The mean score of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale was calculated as 18.77±6.45. The success rate of smoking cessation in the 3rd month was 55% (n=122). No significant relationship was found between smoking cessation success and the score of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Conclusion: Although we cannot associate it with the fear of COVID-19 alone, we believe that the pandemic increases the success of early smoking cessation. To maintain these success rates, it is important to provide adequate support to the patients. Keywords: COVID-19, fear, smoking cessation, tobacco smoking

Adverse Neonatal and Obstetric Outcomes in a 20-year Brazilian Retrospective Cohort of Pregnancies after Bariatric Surgery

PURPOSE

Evaluation of obstetric and neonatal outcomes in a Brazilian retrospective cohort of pregnancies after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), regarding the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations about gestational weight gain (GWG) and RYGB-conception interval. Additionally, search for intrapopulation risk factors for small gestational age (SGA) offspring and mental health assessments.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 132 singleton pregnancies after RYGB. Obstetric and neonatal outcomes were analyzed with stratification in above, below, or meeting the target regarding GWG guidance, and 0-12, 12-47, and ≥48 months for RYGB-conception interval. SGA risk factors were identified through Poisson regression analysis.

RESULTS

GWG below the recommendations was associated with prematurity (p 0.003). Late conceptions (≥48 months) were associated with iron deficiency (p 0.025). Parenteral iron prescription was a protective factor for SGA, with a relative risk of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.20-0.85; p 0.017), and GWG below target was a SGA risk factor, with a relative risk of 4.68 (95% CI, 1.48-14.8; p 0.008). In all, 15.2% of patients had psychopharmacological treatment during pregnancy, and 7.6% received a diagnosis of postpartum depression. Any alcohol and tobacco consumption were reported in 3.8 and 6.8% of patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The recommendations regarding GWG apply to the RYGB population, and surgery-conception intervals should be individualized. The parenteral iron prescription was a protective factor for SGA, and GWG below the recommendations of the IOM was a risk factor for SGA. Psychological and psychiatric care should be offered to every possible pregnancy after RYGB.

Protective factors against tobacco and alcohol use among pregnant women from a tribal nation in the Central United States

Identifying social determinants of tobacco and alcohol use during pregnancy is critical to improving health outcomes for the next generation. This is especially important on a rural Tribal Nation where influences such as isolation, cultural barriers, and historical trauma have made it uniquely challenging to prevent substance use during pregnancy. The purpose of this study is to identify population-specific factors that are protective against smoking and drinking during pregnancy. We used data from 421 pregnancies collected as a part of the Safe Passages study from a rural Tribal Nation in the central United States. Pregnant women were classified as women who did not smoke (n = 84), women who quit during pregnancy (n = 23), women who smoked during pregnancy (n = 314), and women who both smoked and drank alcohol during pregnancy (n = 149). Demographic data revealed that 28.8% of the mothers were currently employed, and 91.8% of mothers reported a household income of less than $3,000 per year. Substance use rates were higher than national averages: 74.6% smoked during pregnancy and 35.4% of the women both smoked and drank alcohol during pregnancy. Five factors were identified as being protective against substance use during pregnancy: 1) living with someone (81% less likely to smoke and 92% less likely to smoke and drink), 2) having at least 12 years of education (128% less likely to smoke, and 126% less likely to smoke and drink), 3) having over 12 years of education (235% less likely to smoke, and 206% less likely to smoke and drink), 4) being employed (158% less likely to smoke, and 111% less likely to smoke and drink), and 5) not being depressed (214% less likely to smoke, and 229% less likely to smoke and drink). These social determinants should be considered for intervention research to decrease rates of substance use during pregnancy.

Smoking during pregnancy: changes and associated risk factors in Spain, 1980-2016

BACKGROUND

Trends for maternal smoking rates have varied substantially across industrialized countries. The objective was to describe how the prevalence of maternal smoking evolved in Spain during 1980-2016.

METHODS

Data came from the Spanish Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations. Our sample consisted of 40 934 mothers of newborns with no congenital defects from hospitals all across Spain. We estimated change points in trend and the mean annual change in smoking prevalence using 'joinpoint' regression. Relevant potential factors (age, country of birth, education, parity, planned pregnancy and alcohol consumption) were examined using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Maternal smoking prevalence in 1980 and 2016 were 14.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.9-17.0) and 20.4% (95% CI: 15.9-25.8). We identified four periods with distinct trends: a sharp increase during the 80s, a plateau during the 90s, a decrease starting in 2000 and a slowdown of such decrease from 2009 on. Smoking was significantly higher among young women, Spain-born, with low education, unplanned pregnancy, and alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Currently in Spain maternal smoking remains very high. Tobacco consumption trend showed an increase during the 80s, a plateau during the 90s, and a reduction in the 2000s. Several sociodemographic and behavioural factors were associated to greater likelihood of smoking.

Sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with cryptorchidism in live births in Brazil: A 20-year analysis

Background: Cryptorchidism is a congenital disorder that causes an irregularity in the permanent or temporary descent of one or both testicles. In Brazil, there are no comprehensive studies describing the association of demographic, social, and clinical characteristics in relation to cryptorchidism. Objectives: This study aims to verify possible associations of clinical and sociodemographic characteristics in patients with cryptorchidism. Design and Methods: An analytical, descriptive and retrospective study was carried out based on secondary data of 5,168 live births with cryptorchidism recorded in the Live Birth Information System (SINASC), Brazil from 1999 to 2018. The socio-demographic factors analyzed were the geographic region, age, education and marital status of the mothers. The clinical factors analyzed were the duration and type of pregnancy. The place of birth was also analyzed as a secondary outcome. Results: This research analyzed all live births during the study period, in Brazil. The chance of cryptorchidism in the neonate is more common in women who become pregnant later (≥30 years of age) and with a higher level of education (≥8 years). The risk of cryptorchidism in relation to the federation units is higher in Paraiba, Pernambuco, Sergipe, Sao Paulo, and Santa Catarina. Regarding the clinical characteristics, the shorter pregnancies, which characterize premature births, are a risk for the appearance of cryptorchidism in the country. Conclusion: Thus, in this study, we found that sociodemographic and clinical factors have specific characteristics that predict cryptorchidism in newborns in Brazil.