INFANT ADMISSIONS TO HOSPITAL AND MATERNAL SMOKING

Abstract

Admissions to hospital during the first year of life were recorded in a prospective study of 10,672 infants whose mothers' smoking habits were known. Infants with major congenital malformations, and those dying before their first birthday, were excluded. The infants of mothers who smoked had significantly more admissions for bronchitis or pneumonia, especially in the winter, and more injuries. They were also admitted more frequently, though not significantly so, for upper-respiratory-tract infections, gastroenteritis, childhood infectious diseases, and other diagnoses. The excess of bronchitis and pneumonia in the group exposed to smoke increased with increasing number of cigarettes smoked by the mother. It occurred within subgroups of birth-weight, social class, and birth order. It was seen mainly in infants aged 6-9 months, while at older and younger ages there was no significant effect of maternal smoking. The findings support the hypothesis that atmospheric pollution with tobacco smoke endangers the health of non-smokers.