👤 Danuta Ligocka

The aim of the study was to analyze the association between prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETS) and child anthropometric parameters at birth such birth weight, length, head and chest circumference. The study population consisted of 107 pregnant women from Lodz district as the part of Polish Mother and Child Cohort study. The child prenatal ETS exposure was assessed based on questionnaire with mothers and cotinine level in saliva collected three times in pregnancy. The level of cotinine in biological samples was analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS ESI+). About 35% of the children were prenatally exposed to ETS. The birth weight of the children prenatally exposed to ETS was 335 g lower than the birth weight of non-exposed newborns p < 0.001 after adjustment for: maternal educational level, marital status, prepregnancy weight, child gender, and gestational age. The same refers to child length and chest circumference (coef. -1.1 cm; p = 0.03 and coef. -1.3 cm; p = 0.002 respectively). Taking into account the negative effect of prenatal exposure to ETS, more efforts need to be taken to eliminate child ETS exposure. Show less

In Poland, prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke is observed in about 30 percent of children and postnatal in over 50 percent of children. This exposure has serious health consequences, including the negative effect on child neurodevelopment. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on child psychomotor development. The study population consisted of 63 children with well assessed prenatal ETS exposure (a threefold analysis of cotinine level in saliva of pregnant women). To assess ETS exposure in infants within one year after birth a questionnaire-based interview was conducted with mothers. The Bayley Scale for Infant and Toddler Development (BESID-III) was used for the evaluation of child neurodevelopment. Multivariate analysis (including gender, birth order of the child and parental educational status) indicated the statistically significant association between prenatal exposure to ETS and cognitive child development (b = -4.0; p = 0.04). ETS exposure has also a negative impact on motor (b = -2.7; p = 0.2) and language (b = -3.4; p = 0.08) abilities of the child although the results were not statistically significant. Maternal smoking was found to be related to a decrease in child neurodevelopment, however, it was impossible to separate the prenatal from postnatal exposure. A lot of effort should be made to eliminate ETS exposure of children. Show less

The aim of the study was to evaluate the prenatal and postnatal child exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. The study population consisted of 83 women from Lodz, Poland among which detail questionnaire was conducted three times during pregnancy period. From all women included into the study the saliva sample was collected to verify smoking status in pregnancy. One year after delivery the second questionnaire was performed and urine sample from all children was collected. The cotinine level in saliva and urine was analyzed using Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS ESI+). About 22% of the children were expose to ETS during prenatal and 46% in postnatal period. Cotinine level in children's urine statistically differentiated children from smoking mothers (Geometric Mean (GM) 11.4 ng/ml; 95% CI 7.1-18.3) and exposed homes (GM 7.3 ng/ml; 95% CI 3.6-15.0) compared with non-exposed homes (GM 1.3 ng/ml; 95% CI 0.9-1.7) (p < 0.001). Children should be more protected from ETS exposure in prenatal and postnatal period. Show less