Maternal smoking during pregnancy and behaviour problems in a birth cohort of 2-year-old pacific children in New Zealand

Abstract

Aim The present study investigated associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and child behaviour problems in a cohort of Pacific Islands two-year-old children in New Zealand.Study design Data were gathered as part of the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study. Mothers of a cohort of 1398 Pacific infants born in South Auckland, New Zealand were interviewed when their children were six-weeks, 12 and 24 months of age. Within the context of a wider interview, data regarding cigarette smoking during pregnancy was obtained from 1038 biological mothers at the six-week interview and reports of child behaviour using the Child Behaviour Checklist were gathered when the children were 24 months old.Results The prevalence rates of clinically relevant cases were higher in children of smokers compared to non-smokers for internalising (22.6% versus 15.2%), externalising (9.6% versus 5.7%) and total problem scores (20% versus 12.4%). Following adjustment for potential confounding factors, smoking was associated with a moderately increased prevalence of total behaviour problems (OR=1.75, 95% CI=(1.12, 2.74); p=0.015). For internalising scores, the effects of smoking appeared to be raised for children of non-partnered mothers (OR=3.35, 95% CI=(1.29, 8.67); p=0.013). For externalising scores, smoking appeared to have a greater detrimental effect on girls (OR=2.37, 95% CI=(1.12, 5.04); p=0.024).Conclusions Findings indicate there are significant effects of prenatal tobacco exposure on problem behaviour among young children. Smoking is a modifiable factor worthy of increased early preventive efforts.