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Maternal Smoking in Pregnancy and Child's Hospital Use up to 5 Years of Age in a Data Linkage Birth Cohort

Chigozie Ezegbe1, Amanda L Neil1, Costan G Magnussen1,2

  • 1Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.

Hospital Pediatrics
|December 3, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Maternal smoking during pregnancy increases children's risk of emergency department visits and hospital admissions up to age five. Reducing smoking in childbearing years is crucial for child health outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Maternal smoking during pregnancy is a significant public health concern with potential long-term effects on child health.
  • Understanding the association between prenatal smoke exposure and pediatric healthcare utilization is vital for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and emergency department (ED) presentations and admissions in children up to five years of age.
  • To quantify the increased risk of ED visits and hospital admissions for specific disease categories in children exposed to maternal smoking.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cohort study linked antenatal records of 36,630 infants born in Tasmania (2008-2014) to health service use data.
  • Negative binomial regression models were employed to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) for ED presentations and admissions, adjusting for covariates.
  • Poisoning and injury data served as a negative control to validate findings.

Main Results:

  • Children exposed to maternal smoking showed a 26% higher rate of ED presentation (aIRR 1.26) and a 45% higher rate of hospital admission (aIRR 1.45) by age five.
  • Significantly higher presentation and admission rates were observed in categories including respiratory, ear/nose/throat, psychosocial, and infectious diseases.
  • These elevated rates were evident across various conditions linked to smoking exposure, exceeding the negative control categories.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal exposure to maternal smoking is associated with increased healthcare service utilization in children up to five years of age.
  • The findings underscore the critical need for public health initiatives aimed at reducing smoking rates among individuals of childbearing age.
  • Targeted strategies to support smoking cessation during pregnancy are essential for improving pediatric health outcomes and reducing healthcare burdens.
Abstract

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