INFLUENCE OF PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL EXPOSURE TO PASSIVE SMOKING ON INFANTS HEALTH DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THEIR LIFE
| Title in English | Influence of Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Passive Smoking on Infants` Health During the First Six Months of Theire Life |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2004 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Central European Journal of Public Health |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Public health care, social medicine |
| Keywords | passive smoking; prenatal and postnatal exposure; infants` morbidity |
| Description | On Czech set of European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC), we tried to verify whether it is possible to confirm the results of foreign studies which found out the both prenatal and postnatal exposure of newborns to chemicals on cigarette smoke influences the newbornsmorbidity in the first six months of their life. Mothers, who served as sources of data about their smoking behaviour during the pregnancy and after the birth as well as information about the health status of the children after the birth (N=3871) were devided into four groups : 1.women who never smoked (74,3 %), 2.women who stopped smoking in pregnancy and started to smoke after delivery (18,3 %), 3.women who smoked both during pregnancy and after delivery (7,2 %), 4.women who smoked during pregnancy and stopped after delivery. Unfortunatelly, the last group was very small (only seven mothers) and did not allow assessment of exclusively prenatal exposition. The frequency of the positive answers to questions about frequent illnesses of the child on the first months of life was in both groups of smoking women almost twice more often than in group of non-smoking women. Children of smoking women were significantly more often admitted to hospital than those of non-smoking women: OR 1,4 in group with postnatal exposure, OR 1,8 in group with both prenatal and postnatal exposure. The average number of the physicians visits in the home of child was 13,9 % higher in children who were exposed postnatally and 22,1 % higher in children exposed both prenatally and postnatally than in children who were not exposed at all. Average number of visits with sick child in the physicians office was 5,1 % higher in children exposed after birth and 7,4 % higher in with both prenatal and postnatal exposure when compared to children of non-smoking mothers. Frequency of all symptoms of respiratory tract disorders and middle ear was significantly higher in children of mothers from both groups of smokers than that in children of non-smoking mothers. The average frequency of long lasting cough episodes was 15 % higher in children exposed postnatally and 23,3 % higher in children exposed also prenatally when compared to children of non-smoking mothers. The frequency of wheezing episodes was 9,7 % higher in children exposed after the birth and 16,8 % higher in those exposed also prenatally when compared to children of non-smoking mothers. Children exposed both pre-and postnatally showed the average frequency of cough and wheezing episodes 6 % - 7 % higher than that of those exposed only after the birth. Combined pre and postnatal exposure to chemicals in cigarette smoke was associated with higher occurence of respiratory morbidity in the first six months of the childrens life when compared to the morbidity level of children who were exposed only after the birth, these differences were, however, of small importance. Our results are the same as those of foreign studies and confirm that both prenatal and postnatal exposure to chemicals of cigarette smoke is significant risk factor which negatively influences the health status on the early periods life. |
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