“Effect of Active and Passive smoking during pregnancy on its outcomes”It was made clear in the research that the purpose of the study is to be able to determine if passive and active smoking would affect the outcome of pregnancy using a cross-sectional study on pregnant women delivering a singleton live baby, categorize as active smoker, passive smoker or non-smoker.
The researchers intend to provide health teachings on new and prospective parents about the risk and complications of active and passive smoking during pregnancy. They use a predesigned structured questionnaire to determine the details of smoking and the effects of smoking on women and their babies.The study points out that the strategy is well researched (eg. USDHHS; Fantuzzi et al 2007; Ananth et al 1999; Kallen K 2001). One of the researchers is Kyrklund-Bloberg et al., 1988-1992 found that, smoking increases the risk of very preterm birth, preterm premature rupture of membranes, and late pregnancy bleedings.
There was a dose–dependent association between smoking and risk of very preterm birth, and heavy smokers (10 cigarettes per day) had a threefold increase in risk compared with nonsmokers.It is worth highlighting here that the amount of literature the author reported is reasonable in terms of applicability and in terms of its amount. This is something that supports the reliability of the study. The possibility of finding the same results when redoing the study in similar circumstances and for a similar sample is reasonable.The researcher used an appropriate method and study design to find answers for the problems of the study.
They selected 223 pregnant woman aged 20 – 35 years only to eliminate age related complications of pregnancy and also women who had a multiple pregnancy were excluded. Each participant gave their consent to undergo structured interview and answer questionnaires after the hospital gave permission to collect data. This participants were reassured that their smoking status is confidential no personal identifiers will be disclosed. The structured interview intended to collect information about the participant’s socio-demographic data (Age, educational level, and occupation), obstetric data (duration, gravidity, parity, abortion etc.
) and newborn assessment (weight, length, etc.), while the structured questionnaires were intended to record the details of the average daily number of cigarette and exposure to help categorize the participants.They also reported a proper statistical findings that the results of the study indicated that 20.2% of the participants were active smokers, 42.1% were passive smokers, and 37.7% non-smokers.
Significant statistical differences were found among the three groups in term of pregnancy outcome and adverse effect on labor. Preterm birth was greater for those who active smoker. Mean apgar score at the fifth minutes in the active smokers were less as compared to non-smokers.In the overall, the researchers construed the study findings in a precise and concluded manner.
They also linked the study findings to other associated studies. It was shown in the report that active and passive smokers women have higher risk than non – smokers for hypertension, anemia, and premature rupture of membrane. The researchers concluded that smoking during pregnancy (active smoking and passive smoking) is associated with high risk of having preterm birth, breech presentation, caesarean section birth and poor apgar score. And lastly, this study could be applied to nursing care by stipulating health educations on new and soon-to-be parents about the threat and problems of active and passive smoking during pregnancy.
