Cigarette Smoking, Low Birth Weight, and Preterm Births in Low-Income African American Women

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To examine effects of light and heavy cigarette smoking on the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm births in African American women.

DESIGN:

A total of 1146 low-income African American women participated in a randomized trial to test the effectiveness of nursing intervention in the reduction of preterm and LBW births. This secondary analysis focused on the effects of cigarette smoking on LBW (<2500 gm) and preterm (<37 weeks’ gestation) births.

RESULTS:

Cigarette smoking had a significant effect on both LBW and preterm births. When light smokers were compared with nonsmokers, odds ratios were 1.89 (confidence interval (CI) 1.15, 3.13; p = 0.0127) for LBW births and 1.74 (CI 1.00, 3.02; p = 0.0499) for preterm births. When heavy smokers were compared with nonsmokers, odds ratios were 3.03 (CI 1.90, 4.86; p = 0.001) for LBW births and 2.60 (CI 1.55, 4.35; p = 0.0003) for preterm births.

CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking was associated with significantly higher rates of both LBW and preterm births in this sample of African American women.