Maternal Smoking and Stillbirth Risk
Author Information
Author(s): L Högberg, S Cnattingius
Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet
Hypothesis
If women who quit smoking reduce their risk of stillbirth, the hypothesis of a causal association would be supported.
Conclusion
The result supports that maternal smoking during pregnancy is causally associated with stillbirth risk.
Supporting Evidence
- Women who quit smoking between pregnancies had no increased risk of stillbirth.
- Heavy smokers had a significantly increased risk of stillbirth compared to nonsmokers.
- Smoking interventions are important in antenatal care to reduce stillbirth risk.
Takeaway
If a mom stops smoking between pregnancies, her chances of losing a baby go down to the same level as moms who never smoked.
Methodology
A population-based Swedish study using logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios.
Potential Biases
Self-reported smoking information may be biased due to social stigma and underreporting.
Limitations
The study lacked information on other potential confounders, including use of alcohol or illicit drugs, exposure to passive smoking, and maternal BMI.
Participant Demographics
Primiparous women who delivered their first and second consecutive single births in Sweden between 1983 and 2001.
Statistical Information
P-Value
1.02; 95% CI 0.79–1.30
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.79–1.30
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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