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Maternal cigarette smoking and placenta previa
D Chelmow1, D E Andrew, E R Baker
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tufts University School of Medicine and New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|May 1, 1996
Summary
Maternal cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of placenta previa, a serious pregnancy complication. Smokers face a 2.6 to 4.4 times higher chance of developing this condition.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Reproductive Health
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Placenta previa is a condition where the placenta covers the cervix.
- Risk factors for placenta previa are not fully understood.
- Maternal health behaviors, such as smoking, may influence placenta previa development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal cigarette smoking and ultrasound-confirmed placenta previa.
- To quantify the risk of placenta previa in smokers.
Main Methods:
- A matched case-control study design was employed.
- Cases were women with ultrasound-confirmed placenta previa, controls were matched deliveries.
- Data on risk factors were collected from prenatal records; conditional logistic regression was used for analysis.
Main Results:
- Thirty-two cases of placenta previa were identified.
- Maternal age, gravidity, parity, and prior pregnancy outcomes were associated with previa.
- Current cigarette smoking showed a crude odds ratio of 3.0 (95% CI 1.1-8.6).
Conclusions:
- Current cigarette smoking is significantly associated with an increased risk of placenta previa.
- The adjusted odds ratio for smoking ranged from 2.6 to 4.4.
- This study highlights smoking cessation as a crucial preventive measure for placenta previa.