Smoking during pregnancy: risk for intrauterine growth retardation and persisting microsomia

Smoking during pregnancy is a major risk factor for intrauterine growth retardation. The aim of the Thuringian SGA - (small-for-gestational-age) - study was to evaluate the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy on birth weight and length as well as postnatal growth dynamics and catch-up growth.Between 1992 and 2002 in all 2 447 liveborn children were assessed with birth weight (GG) <10th percentile and/or birth length (GL) <- 2.0 SDS. A questionnaire was sent to 383 parents of severe SGA children (GG and/or GL <- 2.5 SDS) to report weight and height of the children actually. 108 reports could analysed (mean age 8.0±3.4 years of life).The number of SGA babies in regard to all liveborn children decreased from 14.1% to 9.4% between 1992 and 2002. 14% of SGA babies were born preterm. The mean nicotine abuse was 2 cigarettes per day (range 0-40). 17.6% of the mothers of SGA babies were smoking, whereas in severe SGA 26.9% of smokers was recorded. There is a inverse correlation of nicotine abuse with birth weight (r=- 0.09; p<0.01) or birth length (r=- 0.08; p<0.01). Catch-up growth did not exist in 30.6% of the severe growth restricted children. The risk for short stature in later life was doubled in SGA children.Nicotine abuse during pregnancy is a risk factor for an SGA baby and could have long-lasting effects on growth dynamics during childhood with a lack of catch-up growth.