Maternal cigarette smoking, regular use of multivitamin/mineral supplements, and risk of fetal death: the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey

Am J Epidemiol. 1998 Jul 15;148(2):215-21. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009626.

Abstract

Data from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey were used to examine whether regular use of multivitamin/mineral supplements could modify the relation between maternal smoking and fetal death. Maternal smoking was defined as the self-reported average number of cigarettes smoked after recognition of pregnancy. Regular supplement use was defined as use of multivitamin/mineral supplements for at least 3 days per week during the 3 months before and/or after recognition of pregnancy. The sample comprises 12,465 singleton pregnancies, including 9,402 livebirths and 3,063 fetal deaths. Odds ratios were derived from logistic regression analyses after adjustment for a number of demographic and reproductive variables. Major findings are that 1) smoking increased the risk of fetal death; 2) regular supplement use either before or after recognition of pregnancy did not affect the risk of fetal death in the absence of maternal smoking; 3) odds ratios for fetal death among smoking women who regularly used supplements were generally smaller than those for women who did not regularly use supplements but who smoked a comparable number of cigarettes; and 4) a significant negative excess risk due to interaction was observed among women who regularly used supplements before recognition of pregnancy and smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day. These findings suggested that regular multivitamin/mineral supplement use might reduce the risk of fetal death associated with maternal smoking.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Birth Certificates
  • Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic
  • Death Certificates
  • Educational Status
  • Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic
  • Female
  • Fetal Death*
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Marital Status
  • Minerals / administration & dosage*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pregnancy
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / adverse effects*
  • United States
  • Vitamins / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Minerals
  • Vitamins