Background : Cigarettes is globally public health problem and serious threats for the health of mothers and fetus. Increasing number of smokers both in men and women, and high percentage of cigarette exposure in households (85%), opens more risk for pregnant women as secondhand smoke (SHS). Further, the risk of fetal growth restriction will be higher, and bring adverse consequences to the pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to assess maternal cigarette smoke exposure based on the examination of the umbilical cord blood nicotine levels that had an impact on fetal growth restriction.

Materials and methods : This study aimed to assess maternal cigarette smoke exposure based on the examination of the umbilical cord blood nicotine levels that had an impact on fetal growth restriction. A consecutive 132 women 3rd trimester pregnancy in Bengkulu city Indonesia were included in the study after excluding who reported active smoking during the current pregnancy. Women with multiple pregnancies were excluded. Fetal growth restriction was assessed by birth weight and length of birth. For maternal and fetal imaging data, the differences between all groups were tested by independent samples T test with significance determined at p <0.05.

Results : This study showed that 29.5% of mothers exposed to SHS. Mothers who exposed to SHS were younger, lower parity and lower vitamin C and fat intake than mother who unexposed SHS. The mean birth weight of infants of exposed mothers was significantly lower by 210.73 g, 95% CI: -336.42- -85.05g, (P = 0.001) and the mean length was shorter by 0.375 cm, 95% CI: -1.08 – 0.33cm, (P = 0.296) compared to the infants of unexposed mothers.

Conclusions : Exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy can reduce birth weight on newborn

Acknowledgements : We would like to acknowledge the mothers  who participate on this study and enumerators who collect data in field. We also thank laboratory analyst for their support on blood examine.

Keywords:  secondhand smoke, birth weight, length of birth