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Association of secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy with left ventricle structure and function in offspring at 4 years old: a prospective birth cohort study

Bo Wang, Yongxuan Peng, Hualin Wang, Zhi-Kang Xu, Bo-Wen Du, Yi-Wei Niu, Zhuo-Yan Li, Zhi Wang et al.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2025

3 citations

Abstract

The association of secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy with childhood cardiac alterations remains insufficiently elucidated. This study aims to explore the correlation between maternal passive smoking during gestation with cardiac structure and function of offspring. 1089 mother-offspring pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort were included. Information on secondhand smoke exposure during each trimester of pregnancy and baseline characteristics was documented during pregnancy via structured questionnaire. Subsequent follow-up assessments, encompassing anthropometric information and echocardiographic evaluation, were conducted from 2018 to 2021, when the children were 4 years old. Multiple linear regressions models were used to explore the association of secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy with left ventricular measurements in early childhood. Secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy was correlated with increased left ventricle (LV) internal diameter in diastole [LVIDd; β = 0.38, 95%CI: (0.06, 0.70)] and in systole [LVIDs; β = 0.28, 95%CI: (0.02, 0.54)] adjusted for maternal and child characteristics. Specifically, maternal passive smoking in early pregnancy (≤ 12 weeks of gestation) showed a positive association with LV internal diameter in diastole [LVIDd; β = 0.46, 95%CI: (0.14, 0.79)], in systole [LVIDs; β = 0.35, 95%CI: (0.09, 0.60)], end diastolic volume [LVEDV; β = 1.45, 95%CI: (0.26, 2.63)] and end systolic volume [LVESV; β = 0.68, 95%CI: (0.18, 1.19)].…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence.

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