Relation of maternal cigarette smoking, obesity, and energy consumption to infant size.

ABSTRACT

The dietary energy intakes of 153 public patients (94 smokers and 59 nonsmokers) and 383 Private patients (208 smokers and 175 nonsmokers) were assessed in the last month of pregnancy. Birth weight and crown-heel length of offspring were related to maternal size (weight for height) and smoking habits. Birth weight and length increased significantly with increasing maternal weight for height in the Private group but not in the Public group. In both groups, and in all weight categories, infants of smokers were lighter and shorter than those of nonsmokers. Neither the fetal growth retardation in the smokers nor the fetal growth enhancement in the overweight mothers was explainable on the basis of maternal dietary energy intake. Maternal obesity and cigarette smoking act independently of each other and maternal overweight does not protect the fetus against the growth-retarding of smoking.

ABSTRACT

PIP A study was conducted on 302 smoking and 234 nonsmoking mothers to assess the relationships among dietary intake, maternal smoking, and infant birth weight. The study involved 153 public patients (94 smokers, 59 nonsmokers) and 383 private patients (208 smokers, 175 nonsmokers). All results are graphed. In both the public and private groups, infant birth weights were significantly lower for smoking than for nonsmoking mothers. The sex distribution and gestational age of the infants did not differ between the 2 groups. Even in obese mothers, smoking had a fetal growth-retardation effect. Obesity does not, therefore, counteract the retarding effect of smoking. The growth retardation is not believed to be due to decreased nutritional intake but to a direct toxic effect of the smoking. Maternal obesity and maternal cigarette smoking are 2 variables which act independently of each other on the fetus.