Maternal exposure to biomass smoke and reduced birth weight in Zimbabwe☆
Received 23 September 2003; accepted 26 January 2004. published online 19 August 2004.
Abstract
Purpose
To examine the association between household use of biomass fuels for cooking and birth weight.
Methods
Analysis is based on 3559 childbirths in the 5 years preceding the 1999 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey. Birth weights, recorded by trained professionals at local health clinics, were derived from health cards at home or from mother's recall. Multiple regression method was used to estimate the effect of household use of biomass cooking fuels (wood, dung, or straw) on birth weight, after controlling for child's sex and birth order, mother's education and nutritional status, pregnancy care, household living standard, and other potentially confounding factors.
Results
Babies born to mothers cooking with wood, dung, or straw were 175 g lighter (95% CI,−300,−50), on average, compared with babies born to mothers using LPG, natural gas, or electricity. The difference was 120 g (95% CI,−301, 61) for children whose birth weights were taken from health cards, and 183 g (95% CI,−376, 10) for children whose birth weights were reported by mothers.
Conclusions
Household use of high pollution cooking fuels may cause reduced birth weight. The relationship needs to be further investigated using more direct measures of smoke exposure and birth weight and accounting for environmental tobacco smoke.
From Population and Health Studies, East-West Center, Honolulu, HI (V.M., X.D.); School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA (K.R.S.); and Intermediate Technology Development Group Southern Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe (L.M.)
Address correspondence to: Vinod Mishra, Ph.D., M.P.H., Population and Health Studies, East-West Center, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96848-1601, USA. Tel.: (808) 944-7452; Fax: (808) 944-7490.
☆ The analysis presented in this article is based on secondary analysis of existing survey data with all identifying information removed. The survey obtained informed consent from each respondent before asking questions. The study was supported in part by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (#1 R03 HD043929-01). An earlier version of this article was presented at the 131st American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco, November 15–19, 2003.
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