EFFECT OF MATERNAL SMOKING ON OFFSPRING GROWTH

Background: Maternal smoking negatively affects bir th weight, breast milk volume and growth at one month of age. Aim: To study the effect o f maternal smoking on the growth of three month old infants. Subjects and methods: Ten smoking and 10 non smoking mothers with one month old children, under exclusive breast feeding, were selected for the study . Urinary cotinine levels in the mothers and children were measured to assess smoking. Two months later; children were reassessed. Results: Smoking mothers consumed a mean of 6.5 cigarettes/day. Compared to non smokers, urinary continine levels were higher in these mothers (60 +/ - 22 and 1428 +/- 716 ng/ml respectively, P < 0.002) and their offspri ng (21 +/- 20 and 156 +/- 101 ng/ml respectively p < 0.001). Compared with smokers, at three months of age, children of non smoking mothers had a higher average weight (5829 +/- 498 and 6325 +/- 427 g, P < 0.02 ). Conclusions: Measurement of urinary continue levels is a reliable a nd objective measure of maternal smoking and nicotine transfer to the offspring. It also allows the assessment of passive smoking. Maternal smoking adversely affects child growth at three months of age.