The Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Pennsylvania

Statistics on children, youth and families in Pennsylvania from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

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Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

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Tobacco Use - Births to mothers who used tobacco during pregnancy in Pennsylvania

Tobacco Use - Births to mothers who used tobacco during pregnancy

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Why This Indicator Matters

Smoke from tobacco contains more than 250 chemicals that can harm nearly every organ in the body and lead to addiction, cancer, heart and lung disease, diabetes, stroke, gum disease, and eye problems.[1] Smoking during pregnancy not only has damaging effects on the health of the mother, but on the baby as well. This includes increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, low birth weight, disrupted lung and brain development, and birth defects such as cleft lip and/or palate.[2] There are also risks associated with smoking even after giving birth, as children born to women who smoked during their pregnancies are more likely to experience respiratory infections, asthma, infantile colic, bone fractures, and childhood obesity.[3] Unfortunately, smoking during pregnancy is common with rates highest among American Indian and Alaska Native mothers at 13-18%.[4] Research has found that women with high educational attainment and private insurance are the most likely to quit smoking while pregnant, indicating a need to expand smoking cessation treatment programs to younger women of low socioeconomic status.

[1] March of Dimes. (2019). Smoking During Pregnancy. https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/pregnancy/smoking-during-pregnancy

[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Smoking, Pregnancy, and Babies. Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/pregnancy.html

[3] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2020). Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation During Pregnancy. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2020/05/tobacco-and-nicotine-cessation-during-pregnancy

[4] National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). What are the Risks of Smoking During Pregnancy? https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/what-are-risks-smoking-during-pregnancy

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Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

The number and percent of children born to mothers who used tobacco during pregnancy.

Data Source

Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Health Statistics and Research. Pennsylvania Vital Statistics annual report series. The Pennsylvania Department of Health specifically disclaims responsibility for any analyses, interpretations, or conclusions.

Notes

Includes only those women with known tobacco use during pregnancy.

Last Updated

April 2025