STUDY SHOWS TOBACCO EXPOSURE LINKED TO HEARING LOSS

sabine-r-l6Siibwj0ew-unsplash

Exposure to tobacco smoke prenatally and postnatally was associated with hearing impairment in a Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology study of young children in Japan.

In the study of 50,734 children aged 3 years who were born between 2004 and 2010, 3.8% were exposed to smoking only during pregnancy; 15.2% were exposed in utero to only maternal past smoking; 3.9% were exposed only to second-hand smoke at 4 months; and 0.9% were exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and at 4 months.

The prevalence of hearing impairment at age 3 years was 4.6%. Compared with children not exposed to tobacco smoke prenatally and at 4 months, children exposed to only maternal past smoking during pregnancy had a 26% increased relative risk of hearing impairment, children exposed to only second-hand smoke at 4 months had a 30% increased relative risk, those exposed to only smoking during pregnancy had a 68% increased relative risk, and those exposed to smoking during pregnancy and second-hand smoke at 4 months had a 2.4-times increased relative risk.

“Although public health guidelines already discourage smoking during pregnancy and in front of children, some women still smoke during pregnancy and many young children are exposed to second-hand smoke,” said senior author Dr. Koji Kawakami, Kyoto University, in Japan. “This study clearly shows that preventing exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and postnatally may reduce the risk of hearing problems in children. The findings remind us of the need to continue strengthening interventions to prevent smoking before and during pregnancy and exposure to second-hand smoke in children.”

Article originally appeared on Science Daily

Photo by Sabine R on Unsplash

Related Articles

You might be interested in...

A pair of behind-the-ear hearing aids. Photo: Shuran Huang for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Hearing aids gain hipper reputation as “lifestyle” products after going OTC

Tina Reed, author of Axios Vitals Consumer electronics giants like Sony and Bose have staked out a piece of the new market for over-the-counter hearing aids, […]

Read More →

Hearing Loss and Comorbidities

As we get older, our hearing can begin to deteriorate. But did you know that hearing loss can lead to more than just reduced communication? […]

Read More →

LOCAL AUDIOLOGIST ANTICIPATES REACHING MORE HARD-OF-HEARING CUSTOMERS WITH OTC ANNOUNCEMENT

October 03, 2022 05:15 AM Crain’s Chicago Health Pulse by JON ASPLUND  Kristen Conners, owner of Orland Prescription Hearing, says she expects an uptick in […]

Read More →
Call Us Now