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(Hypertension. 2007;50:572.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Articles

Tobacco Smoke Exposure of Pregnant Mothers and Blood Pressure in Their Newborns

Results from the Wheezing Illnesses Study Leidsche Rijn Birth Cohort

Caroline C. Geerts; Diederick E. Grobbee; Cornelis K. van der Ent; Brita M. de Jong; Marieke M. van der Zalm; Nienke van Putte-Katier; Jan L.L. Kimpen; Cuno S.P.M. Uiterwaal

From the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care (C.C.G., D.E.G., B.M.d.J., C.S.P.M.U.) and Department of Pediatric Pulmonology (C.K.v.d.E., B.M.d.J., M.M.v.d.Z., N.v.P.-K., J.L.L.K.), Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Correspondence to Cuno S.P.M. Uiterwaal, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. E-mail c.s.p.m.uiterwaal{at}umcutrecht.nl

There is evidence to suggest that exposure of pregnant women to tobacco smoke is related to higher childhood blood pressure in their offspring. It is not well known whether this association is set in utero or by shared postnatal environments. The objective of this study was to assess the association between tobacco smoke exposure of pregnant mothers and blood pressure and heart rate of their newborns. In an unselected birth cohort, blood pressure and heart rate were measured in 456 infants at 2 months of age. Smoking exposure of mothers in pregnancy was obtained by questionnaire. Of 456 mothers whose infants had blood pressure measured, 363 (79.6%) were not exposed to tobacco smoke in pregnancy, 63 (13.8%) did not smoke in pregnancy but were exposed by others, and 30 (6.6%) smoked. Infant offspring of mothers who had smoked during pregnancy had 5.4 mm Hg (95% CI: 1.2 to 9.7; P=0.01) higher systolic blood pressure levels than offspring of mothers who were not exposed to tobacco smoke in pregnancy, taking account of birth weight, infant age, gender, nutrition, and age of mother. No associations were found between maternal exposure to tobacco smoke in pregnancy and diastolic blood pressure. A positive association between maternal exposure to tobacco smoke and heart rate was largely explained by confounding. It can be concluded that maternal exposure to tobacco smoke in pregnancy has a substantial increasing effect on systolic blood pressure in early infancy.

Key Words: prenatal exposure • newborn • tobacco • infant blood pressure • maternal smoking • WHISTLER birth cohort

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