Influence of maternal smoking during pregnancy on the development of retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

Abstract Purpose To determinate the relation between maternal smoking during pregnancy and the development and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study including all preterm children borned between September 2008 and February 2010 at Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza (Spain). They were divided in two groups depending on the exposure to tobacco during the pregnancy. The incidence of ROP and its severity were analyzed, as well as other perinatal variables that could act as confounding factors for the above mentioned relationship. Results Two hundred and eighteen preterm children were included in the study. The smokers’ rate during the pregnancy was 23.2%. We did not find differences between both groups as for the gestational age, birth weight, sex and prenatal and early postnatal diseases. We did not find statistically significant differences in ROP incidence between both groups (p=0.629). As far as the characteristics of the ROP, smokers increased the severity of the retinopathy, the need of treatment with laser and the rate of Posterior Aggressive ROP, though these were not significant. Conclusion The maternal smoking during pregnancy does not influence the incidence of the ROP, but it seems to increase its aggressiveness and the rate of Posterior Aggressive ROP.