Abstract
This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of smoking and secondhand smoking (SHS) among pregnant women in Darkhan-Uul Province, Mongolia, using urinary cotinine (UC) levels, and clarified the factors related to SHS exposure. It targeted pregnant women who underwent antenatal health check-ups from November 2015 to January 2016. Self-administered questionnaires and urine samples were used to collect data. Using UC levels as the criterion, it was found that the prevalence of smokers (>100 ng/ml) among 493 pregnant women was 11.8%, while SHS exposure (≥5 ng/ml) among nonsmokers was 44.8%. Older and highly educated women had lower odds of SHS exposure (p = 0.006 and 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, nonsmoking pregnant women from homes where smoking was permitted had higher odds of SHS exposure compared to women from homes where smoking was not permitted. These results suggest that community guidance programs, such as home smoking cessation that include families, are necessary.
Highlights
Secondhand smoke (SHS), called environmental tobacco smoke, passive smoking, or involuntary smoking, is known to be associated with many adverse health effects on the cardiovascular system and respiratory system[1], and it increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in children[1]
Another study in California revealed that the number of smokers in a household was correlated with SHS17, while a study in Spain reported that pregnant women who were younger, of a lower social class and education level, and had a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5 were more likely to be exposed to SHS18
61.0% of self-reported nonsmoking pregnant women thought they were exposed to secondhand smoking (SHS), and according to the widely used SHS measuring question, 33.6% of self-reported pregnant women were exposed to SHS, while 44.8% of urinary cotinine (UC)-determined nonsmoking pregnant women were exposed to SHS (UC levels ≥5 ng/ml)
Summary
Secondhand smoke (SHS), called environmental tobacco smoke, passive smoking, or involuntary smoking, is known to be associated with many adverse health effects on the cardiovascular system and respiratory system[1], and it increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in children[1]. In a survey of pregnant women in New York City, race/ethnicity and nativity were found to be predictors of SHS exposure during pregnancy, while lower educational attainment was associated with it[16]. A South Korean study showed that women with lower gestational age, educational attainment, and those who lived with smoking spouses had higher risk of SHS exposure[21]. By decreasing SHS exposure among pregnant women, the health of the generation of Mongolian children could be improved. The aims of this study are to (1) investigate the current prevalence of smoking and SHS among pregnant women in Mongolia using self-report and urinary cotinine (UC) levels and (2) clarify the factors related to UC-determined SHS
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