The Impact of Maternal Smoking on Perinatal Complications in Iraq

Abstract

Smoking is negatively associated with birth outcomes for Iraqi pregnant women, with the fetus being at risk of stillbirth, neonatal death, and severe complications. The present study aims to investigate and enrol the clinical outcomes of perinatal complications among Iraqi smokers who are pregnant. A total of 63 pregnant Iraqi women, aged between 25 and 45 years, who had given birth in maternity hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq, were recruited between March 2023 and April 2024. The study enrolled the women's intrapartum outcomes, their daily cigarette use, and the dose of cigarettes they consumed during pregnancy. The clinical data pertaining to both the women and the fetuses were determined in terms of complications, pain, obstetric outcomes, and quality of life assessment. The study revealed that women in the 25–30 age group were the most prevalent participants, with 24 cases. The daily cigarette consumption was classified into four categories: <10 cigarettes per day (29 cases), ≥ 10 cigarettes per day (20 cases), and ≥20 cigarettes per day (14 cases). A total of 14 cases were identified, with gestational age in ≥ 37 weeks representing 53.97% of the total patient population. The mode of delivery was predominantly caesarean section (28.57%), while the remaining 71.43% underwent vaginal delivery. Low birth weight was identified as a risk factor. Of the total number of cases, ten were identified as having perinatal complications, representing a rate of 41.27% among all patients. Additionally, 22 cases were classified as having a birth weight of less than 2500 g. There were four instances of stillbirth. Pregnancy outcomes perinatal ones are adversely affected by cigarette smoking based on the dosages.