Denver, Colo. – New research released today takes a look at birth outcomes and
maternal smoking, building urgency for more states and cities to join the
nationwide smoke-free trend that has accelerated in recent years. According to
the new data, strong smoke-free policies can improve fetal outcomes by
significantly reducing the prevalence of maternal smoking.
The study, which was
presented today at the American Public Health Association’s 138th Annual
Meeting & Exposition in Denver, compared
maternal smoking prevalence in one Colorado
city where a smoking ban has already been implemented to that of a neighboring
city where there is no ordinance.
Researchers from the University
of Colorado School of Pharmacy collected data from mothers residing in Pueblo, Colo.,
before and after a citywide smoking ban took effect. Results show a 23 percent decrease
in the odds of preterm births and a 37 percent decrease in the odds of maternal
smoking in Pueblo
following the ban. Birth outcomes in El
Paso County, Colo.,
however, showed no such drop during the same time period. Findings in this
first-ever study in United States
reflect similar findings as national data from Dublin, Ireland.
The study suggests that
smoking bans have a significant and immediate positive impact on the health of
infants and mothers. Pre-term babies stand a greater likelihood of experiencing
cardiovascular issues later in life.
“This research proves that
smoking is an irrefutable risk factor for expectant mothers who are acutely
more affected,” said Associate Professor Dr. Robert Page at the University of Colorado, Schools of Pharmacy and
Medicine, and lead researcher on the study, who presented the findings. “The
good news is that implementing strong tobacco control policy can protect even
the most vulnerable from the deadly consequences of smoking.”
Session 4046: Effect of a
citywide smoking ban on maternal smoking prevalence and risk of preterm and low
birth weight births: The Colorado experience
Date: Tuesday, November 9,
2010: 9:05 AM
Researcher: Robert Lee
Page II, Pharm.D.
Information for Media:
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