Cigarette smoking and birthweight: type of cigarette smoked and a possible threshold effect.

The effects on birthweight of the number of cigarettes smoked and their tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yields were investigated prospectively in 1309 pregnant women of whom 414 were smokers. Several approaches to modelling the effect of smoking were tried. These suggested that while both yield and quantity smoked were important, yield had the greatest effect.

The effect of nutritional intake on outcome of pregnancy in smokers and non-smokers.

The relationship between nutrient intake and pregnancy outcome (adjusted birth weight and gestational age) was investigated in randomly selected non-smokers (n97) and in heavy smokers (15 + cigarettes/d) (n72) booking for ante-natal care at a hospital in South London. Weighted dietary intakes (7d) were obtained at 28 and 36 weeks gestation. Birth weight was adjusted for gestational age, maternal height, parity and sex of infant.

The effects of smoking and drinking on the anthropometric measurements of neonates.

This study investigated the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption in pregnancy on length, head circumference, upper arm circumference and ponderal index, of neonates born to 1513 Caucasian women who delivered at St George's Hospital, south London. All measurements were adjusted for gestational age, maternal height, parity and sex of infant. Babies of smokers were shorter, had lower ponderal index and smaller upper arm circumference than those of non-smokers.

Social determinants of nutrient intake in smokers and non-smokers during pregnancy.

Study Objective: The aim was to investigate the effects of social factors (education, income, marital status, partners' employment status, housing tenure, social class), smoking, and maternal height on the dietary intake of pregnant women.

Design: The study was a prospective investigation on a two phase sample.

Setting: The study involved women attending the antenatal clinic at a district general hospital.

Food and drug reactions, wheezing, and eczema in preterm infants.

Allergic reactions were investigated in 777 preterm infants who were randomly assigned to early diet and followed up to 18 months post term. Wheezing or asthma was common (incidence 23%); it was associated with neonatal ventilation, maternal smoking, and a family history of atopy and was unexpectedly reduced in babies born by caesarean section. Even in non-ventilated infants, the incidence of subsequent wheezing was 18%, rising to an estimated 44% (using logistic regression) when the foregoing risk factors (excluding ventilation) were present.