A 28 Year Follow Up of Mortality Among Women who Smoked During Pregnancy

A follow-up of a geographically defined cohort from 1966 through 1993 was conducted to investigate long-term mortality among women in northern Finland who smoked during pregnancy & those who stopped smoking. Among the smokers the relative mortality was higher for typical diseases related to tobacco intake & for accidents & suicides. The risk of premature death seems to be higher in women who smoke during pregnancy than in other women who smoke. This may be explained either by the low proportion of those who stop later & the high proportion of heavy smokers or by other characteristics of these subjects that increase the risk. (21 refs.)