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Passive smoking increases pregnancy problems

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Passive smoking increases pregnancy problems

Active and passive smoking increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and tubal ectopic pregnancy, Tobacco Control reports.

Researchers reviewed data collected from 80,762 people in the Women’s Health Initiative study. Compared to women who smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their life, those who smoked at some time during their reproductive years were 16 per cent more likely to have had at least one spontaneous abortion, 43 per cent more likely to have had at least one ectopic pregnancy and 44 per cent more likely to have one or more stillbirths.

The risk increased with greater intensity, duration and pack-years of smoking during reproductive years.

In addition, women who had never smoked, but who were exposed to high levels of second-hand smoke (e.g. childhood exposure or work exposure for more than 10 years, or exposure at home as an adult for more than 20 years) were at increased risk of pregnancy problems.

Passive smokers were 17 per cent more likely to have miscarried, 55 per cent more likely to have had a stillbirth and 61 per cent more likely to have had an ectopic pregnancy compared to women not exposed to second-hand smoke. (Tobacco Control)

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