Association of Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Drinking and Smoking With the Risk of Stillbirth

Source:

Odendaal H, Dukes KA, Elliott AJ, et al. Association of Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Drinking and Smoking With the Risk of Stillbirth. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(8):e2121726. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.21726

Key Points

Question  Is prenatal exposure to maternal drinking and smoking associated with the risk of stillbirth?

Findings  In this cohort study of 8506 pregnant women (with 11 892 pregnancies) in Cape Town, South Africa, and the Northern Plains in the US, dual exposure to drinking and smoking after the first trimester of pregnancy had 2.78 times the risk of late stillbirth compared with those with no exposure or who had quit before the end of the first trimester of pregnancy.

Meaning  These findings suggest that dual exposure to drinking and smoking after the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with nearly 3 times the risk of late stillbirth.