Exposure to Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy as a Risk Factor for Tobacco Use in Adult Offspring

Abstract

Nicotine from maternal smoking during pregnancy can cross the placental barrier, possibly resulting in fetal brain sensitization, as indicated by studies in which prenatal exposure to maternal smoking was associated with an increased risk of tobacco use among adolescent offspring. We investigated whether this association persists beyond adolescence by studying cigarette smoking and the use of snus (Swedish oral moist snuff) among 983 young adults from a prospective cohort study conducted in Stockholm, Sweden, between 2006 and 2010. Self-reported questionnaire data were linked with data from national population-based registers from 1983 onward. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was consistently associated with snus use in offspring (e.g., for lifetime daily snus use, adjusted odds ratio = 2.04, 95% confidence interval: 1.32, 3.16; for use of >3 cans of snus per week vs. less, odds ratio = 3.85, 95% confidence interval: 1.57, 10.15). No association was apparent with offspring's smoking, age at onset of tobacco use, or changes in use between 2006 and 2010. These findings indicate that prenatal exposure to maternal smoking is associated with regular and heavy nicotine intake from smokeless tobacco rather than from smoking. This should be further explored in epidemiologic studies that simultaneously address the roles of genetics and social environments.

Prenatal and Postnatal Maternal Trajectories of Cigarette Use Predict Adolescent Cigarette Use

“…Other researchers have found long-term effects of prenatal cigarette exposure on tobacco outcomes and other drug use in offspring. 8,[11][12][13][14] However, they were not able to also account for maternal postnatal smoking patterns. Surprisingly, the adolescent offspring of chronic smokers were not significantly more likely to be smokers.…”

“…6,7 Several studies show associations between prenatal cigarette smoke exposure and offspring tobacco use. [8][9][10][11][12][13] For example, a study using a large birth cohort from New Zealand demonstrated a link between maternal smoking during pregnancy and nicotine dependence and withdrawal at age 21. 14 Most of these studies, however, focus on maternal smoking during the prenatal or postnatal periods, and few have data on both. Even fewer follow maternal smoking patterns well beyond the perinatal period or control for many possible confounds of the association between maternal and child smoking, such as demographic and psychological factors.…”

Perceived risks and reasons to smoke cigarettes during pregnancy among Alaska native women

“…Adult offspring of women who smoke during pregnancy are at twice the risk for developing nicotine dependence as adult offspring of women who did not smoke during pregnancy (Buka, Shenassa, and Niaura 2003; Rydell et al 2014). The negative effects of cigarette smoking for maternal and infant health are especially relevant to AN people where prevalence of smoking during pregnancy reaches 26%–30% (Kim et al 2010; Tong et al 2009) compared with 9% of pregnant women in the general U.S. population (CDC National Center for Health Statistics, 2013).…”

“…Further, AN women have higher rates of smoking relapse postpartum compared to non-native Alaskan women (57% vs. 41%) (Kim et al 2010). Therefore, smoking cessation early in pregnancy and prevention of relapse postpartum would greatly improve the health outcomes of AN pregnant women and children (Fang et al 2004; Lumley et al 2009) and would reduce the likelihood for tobacco use among adult offspring (Rydell et al 2014). …”

Re: "Exposure to Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy as a Risk Factor for Tobacco use in Adult Offspring"

“…Rydell and colleagues (1) report evidence that maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with later offspring use of snus, but not cigarettes. This adds to a substantial but conflicting literature on the relationship between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring tobacco use.…”