Housing conditions, perceived stress, smoking, and alcohol: determinants of fetal growth in Northwest Russia.

BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health have become important in countries of the former Soviet Union during the time of transition.

AIM: This article estimates the influence of living conditions, smoking, alcohol, and maternal stress on fetal growth indices in an urban Russian setting.

METHODS: All pregnant women registered at antenatal care centres in Severodvinsk (Northwest Russia) and their infants comprised the study base (n = 1399). Multivariate linear regression analysis was applied to quantify the effects of the studied factors on birth weight and the ponderal index (PI) adjusted for maternal education, age, occupation, marital status, parity, pre-pregnancy weight, paternal employment, gestational age, and others.

RESULTS: Infants of smoking mothers were 126 g lighter compared with non-smokers [95% confidence interval (CI): -198; -54]. On average, birth weight decreased 27 g per cigarette smoked during pregnancy. Living in shared apartments, living in crowded housing situations, and perceived stress were associated significantly with birth weight loss: -89 g (95% CI: -153; -25), -82 g (95% CI: -136; -28), and -61 g (95% CI: -116; -7), respectively. A positive association between maternal alcohol consumption and birth weight was found. Living with parents was associated positively with both birthweight and PI. Infants whose fathers consumed more than 100 ml of absolute alcohol per week were thinner at birth compared with those of non-drinking and moderate drinking fathers.

CONCLUSIONS: Poor housing conditions, maternal stress, smoking, and alcohol consumption are independent determinants of fetal growth in Northwest Russia.