Tobacco use and outcomes of pregnancy: A community-based cross-sectional study among the women in the reproductive age group in the rural area of Belgaum District, Karnataka, South India

Exposure to tobacco smoke affects all stages of human reproduction. Smoking is not rare among Indian women, but research over the past decade has shown that Indian women’s use of smokeless tobacco products is substantial and increasing, with negative consequences for both oral morbidity and perinatal health, including premature delivery, low birth weight, and birth length. This study was done to know the prevalence of tobacco consumption among rural women in the reproductive age group and its association with the outcomes of pregnancy A community-based cross-sectional study, was conducted from January 2011 to December 2011 among 1200 rural women aged between 15 years to 49 years residing in Primary Health Centre (PHC) Vantmuri area, Belgaum, Karnataka, India. Statistical analysis was done using rates, ratios, and chi-square tests. The prevalence of tobacco consumption was 9.7%. In this study, we found that except for the first pregnancy outcomes, and all the subsequent outcomes of the pregnancies, the differences are statistically significant indicating an association between tobacco consumption and the outcome of pregnancy. Also, a significant association was found between tobacco consumption and low birth weight. Women under the reproductive age group constitute an important cohort of the population. A significant association was found between tobacco consumption and the outcomes of pregnancy. It has become the need of the hour to provide enough evidence on the correlates of tobacco use in the community and to put increasing effort against the expansion of tobacco companies in developing countries, which are often aimed at women.