Etiology of individual differences in birth weight of twins as a function of maternal smoking during pregnancy

AbstractBirth weight is in large extent influenced by gestational age. In addition genetic and environmental factors determine intrauterine growth and birth weight. The contributions of these factors may be influenced by maternal smoking during pregnancy. We examined birth weight and maternal smoking in a sample of 2930 twin pairs from the Netherlands Twin Register using structural equation modelling. Gestational age accounted for 27–44% of the variance in birth weight. A lower variability of birth weight and a lower association of birth weight with gestational age was found in twins whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. The variance not associated with gestational age was independent of maternal smoking during pregnancy. A systematic smaller part of the variability in birth weight was associated with variability in gestational age in second born twins compared to first born twins. The heritability of interindividual differences in birth weight was modest (10% for twins with non-smoking mothers and 11% for twins with smoking mothers). Common environmental influences other than gestational age accounted for a slightly larger part of the variance not associated with gestational age (17–20%).

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Effects of Chorionicity and Zygosity on Triplet Birth Weight

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1375/twin.15.2.149 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 149-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Diane J. Lamb ◽

Jacqueline M. Vink ◽

Christel M. Middeldorp ◽

Catharina E.M. van Beijsterveldt ◽

Monique C. Haak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Extremely Low Birth Weight ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Individual Level ◽

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

Birth weight in triplets is, on average, lower than in singletons and twins, and more children are classified as having very low or extremely low birth weight. Still, there is limited research on factors that affect triplet birth weight, and samples under study are often small. Chorionicity and zygosity influence triplet birth weight, but it is unknown whether the effect of zygosity can be entirely ascribed to the effect of chorionicity or whether zygosity has an additional effect on triplet birth weight. This question was investigated in 346 triplets (from 116 trios) registered with the Netherlands Twin Register for whom data on chorionicity were available. ‘Triplet’ refers to one child and the set of three triplets is referred to as ‘trio’. Trios and triplets were classified based on zygosity and chorionicity. With regression analysis, the effects of zygosity and chorionicity on triplet birth weight were examined, while controlling for gestational age, sex, and maternal smoking during pregnancy. In addition, within the dizygotic trios a within-family comparison was made between the birth weight of the triplets that were part of a monozygotic pair (with some pairs sharing a chorion), and the birth weight of the dizygotic triplet. Based on the classification on individual level, monozygotic, monochorionic triplets had a lower mean birth weight than dizygotic, dichorionic triplets. Most remarkably, in dizygotic trios, monozygotic pairs only had a lower mean birth weight than their dizygotic sibling triplet when the pair shared a chorion. We conclude that having shared a chorion, rather than being monozygotic, increases the risk of a low birth weight.

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Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Offspring Birth Weight: A Genetically-Informed Approach Comparing Multiple Raters

Behavior Genetics ◽

10.1007/s10519-015-9750-6 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 353-364 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Valerie S. Knopik ◽

Kristine Marceau ◽

Rohan H. C. Palmer ◽

Taylor F. Smith ◽

Andrew C. Heath

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

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Association of Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Birth Weight With Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Children Aged 11 or 12 Years

JAMA Ophthalmology ◽

10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2017.0043 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 135 (4) ◽

pp. 331 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Håkan Ashina ◽

Xiao Qiang Li ◽

Else Marie Olsen ◽

Anne Mette Skovgaard ◽

Michael Larsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Nerve Fiber ◽

Layer Thickness ◽

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Fiber Layer ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness ◽

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Pregnancy And Birth

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Relationship between antisocial behaviour, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and maternal prenatal smoking

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.187.2.155 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 187 (2) ◽

pp. 155-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 76

Author(s):

T. M. M. Button ◽

A. Thapar ◽

P. McGuffin

Keyword(s):

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Structural Equation Models ◽

Antisocial Behaviour ◽

Prenatal Smoking ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

BackgroundThere is substantial evidence that maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with both antisocial behaviour and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring. However, it is not clear whether maternal smoking during pregnancy is independently associated with antisocial behaviour or whether the association arises because antisocial behaviour and ADHD covary.AimsTo examine the relationship between maternal smoking during pregnancy, antisocial behaviour and ADHD in offspring.MethodQuestionnaires concerning behaviour and environmental factors were sent to twins from the CaStANET study and data analysed using a number of bivariate structural equation models.ResultsMaternal prenatal smoking contributed small but significant amounts to the variance of ADHD and of antisocial behaviour. The best fitting bivariate model was one in which maternal prenatal smoking had a specific influence on each phenotype, independent of the effect on the other phenotype.ConclusionsBoth antisocial behaviour and ADHD symptoms in offspring are independently influenced by maternal prenatal smoking during pregnancy.

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Maternal education and offspring birth weight for gestational age: the mediating effect of smoking during pregnancy

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa076 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 1001-1006 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aurélie Nakamura ◽

Laura Pryor ◽

Morgane Ballon ◽

Sandrine Lioret ◽

Barbara Heude ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Educational Attainment ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Tobacco Smoking ◽

Mediation Analysis ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Child Birth

Abstract Background Small for gestational age (SGA) birth weight, a risk factor for infant mortality and delayed child development, is associated with maternal educational attainment. Maternal tobacco smoking during pregnancy could contribute to this association. We aimed to quantify the contribution of maternal smoking during pregnancy to social inequalities in child birth weight for gestational age (GA). Methods Data come from the French nation-wide ELFE cohort study, which included 17 155 singletons. Birth weights for GA were calculated using z-scores. Associations between maternal educational attainment, tobacco smoking during pregnancy and child birth weight for GA were ascertained using mediation analysis. Mediation analyses were also stratified by maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index. Results Low maternal educational attainment was associated with an increased odd of tobacco smoking during pregnancy [adjusted OR (ORa) = 2.58 (95% CI 2.34–2.84)] as well as a decrease in child birth weight for GA [RRa = 0.94 (95% CI 0.91–0.98)]. Tobacco smoking during pregnancy was associated with a decrease in offspring birth weight for GA [RRa = 0.73 (95% CI 0.70–0.76)]. Mediation analysis suggests that 39% of the effect of low maternal educational attainment on offspring birth weight for GA was mediated by smoking during pregnancy. A more important direct effect of maternal educational attainment on child birth weight for GA was observed among underweight women [RRa = 0.82 (95% CI 0.72–0.93)]. Conclusions The relationship between maternal educational attainment and child birth weight for GA is strongly mediated by smoking during pregnancy. Reducing maternal smoking could lessen the occurrence of infant SGA and decrease socioeconomic inequalities in birth weight for GA.

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Prenatal smoking and childhood behavior problems: is the association mediated by birth weight?

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease ◽

10.1017/s2040174416000039 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 273-281 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

S. E. Parker ◽

B. R. Collett ◽

M. L. Speltz ◽

M. M. Werler

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Behavior Problems ◽

Child Behavior ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Behavioral Outcomes ◽

Attention Problems ◽

Prenatal Smoking ◽

Teacher Report ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with both reduced birth weight and adverse neurobehavioral outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinal associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and childhood behavioral outcomes, and to determine the role of birth weight in mediating such associations. The study included 489 mother–child pairs. Prenatal exposures were assessed via maternal interviews conducted on average 1 year after delivery and child behavior assessments were completed at 5–12 years of age using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher Report Form (TRF). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with externalizing and total behavior problems according to both mother and teacher report. Maternal smoking was also associated with the following percentage increases in scores: 41% (CBCL) and 44% (TRF) for aggressive behavior and 65% (CBCL) and 47% (TRF) for attention problems. Associations with behavior problems were attenuated or no longer observed for mothers that quit smoking in early pregnancy. The proportion of the total effect of maternal smoking on behavioral outcomes explained by differences in birth weight was small and ranged from 6.6% for externalizing behavior on the CBCL to 20.1% for rule-breaking behavior on the CBCL. Our results suggest that birth weight differences explain only a small proportion of the magnitude of association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and selected behavioral outcomes.

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Maternal smoking and congenital malformations

Fetal and Maternal Medicine Review ◽

10.1017/s0965539502000141 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 63-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Karin Källén

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Premature Birth ◽

Maternal Smoking ◽

Congenital Malformations ◽

Perinatal Outcome ◽

Neonatal Death ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Small Head ◽

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

Since the first report by Simpson (1957) of the association between premature birth and maternal smoking, the research on the consequences of maternal smoking during pregnancy on perinatal outcome has been intense. Even if some of the findings have been contradictory, it is now evident that maternal smoking is associated with pre-term birth and low birth weight, low birth weight for gestational age, small head circumference, low Apgar score at 5 min, stillbirth and neonatal death.

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