Epidemiol Health.  2018;40:e2018008. 10.4178/epih.e2018008.

The effects of water-pipe smoking on birth weight: a population-based prospective cohort study in southern Iran

• Nematollahi S
• Mansournia MA
• Foroushani AR
• Mahmoodi M
• Alavi A
• Shekari M
• Holakouie-Naieni K

• KMID: 2438463
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2018008

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Consecutive community health assessments revealed that water-pipe smoking in women and impaired growth in children were among the main health concerns in suburban communities in southern Iran. The aim of the present study was to identify the effects of water-pipe smoking during pregnancy on birth weight.
METHODS
Data from a population-based prospective cohort study of 714 singleton live pregnancies in the suburbs of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran in 2016-2018 were used in this study. Data about water-pipe smoking patterns and birth weight were collected by questionnaires during and after the pregnancy. Low birth weight (LBW) was defined as a birth weight below 2,500 g. Statistical analyses were performed using generalized linear models, and the results were presented in terms of relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS
Fifty (8.2%) of the study subjects smoked water-pipe. The adjusted risk of LBW increased 2-fold in water-pipe smokers (adjusted RR [aRR], 2.09; 95% CI, 1.18 to 3.71), and by 2.0% for each 1-year increase in the duration of water-pipe smoking (aRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that water-pipe smoking during pregnancy was an important risk factor for LBW in this population sample from southern Iran. The introduction of regulations onto prevent water-pipe smoking and the implementation of community health action plans aiming at empowering women and increasing women's knowledge and awareness regarding the health consequences of water-pipe smoking are proposed.

Keyword

Low birth weight; Water-pipe smoking; Prospective studies; Suburban population; Iran

MeSH Terms

Birth Weight*
Child
Cohort Studies*
Female
Humans
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Iran*
Linear Models
Parturition*
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies*
Risk Factors
Smoke*
Smoking*
Social Control, Formal
Suburban Population
Smoke