Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and pubertal development in sons. A follow‐up study of a birth cohort

Abstract

SUMMARYEpidemiological studies have raised concern about the reproductive consequences of prenatal cigarette smoking exposure, possibly affecting semen quality and onset of pubertal development of the offspring. The aim of this study was to further investigate pubertal development in young men exposed to cigarette smoking in foetal life. In a Danish pregnancy cohort, information on maternal smoking during pregnancy was available from questionnaires administered in 1984-1987, and information on pubertal development, assessed by age at first nocturnal emission, acne, voice break and regular shaving, was obtained from a follow-up questionnaire administered in 2005 to the young men (age: 18-21). We found no significant association between prenatal cigarette smoking exposure and earlier onset of puberty, but we did observe a tendency towards earlier age of first nocturnal emission, acne and voice break, indicating an accelerated age of pubertal development. Men exposed to ! 15 cigarettes/day had 3.1 months (95% CI: À6.4; 0.2) earlier age at acne and 2.2 months (95% CI: À7.3; 3.0) earlier age at first nocturnal emission, 1.2 months (95% CI: À4.6; 2.2) earlier age at voice break, however, 1.3 months (95% CI: À1.6; 4.3) later age at regular shaving, compared with unexposed men. Prenatal cigarette smoking exposure may induce an earlier age at onset of puberty in young men, but larger studies with prospectively collected data on pubertal development are needed to explore this hypothesis further.

Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and reproductive health in children: a review of epidemiological studies

“…They reported earlier voice break, growth of penis and pubic hair development among exposed boys; however, with limited confounder adjustment and retrospectively collected exposure information. The most recent study by Håkonsen et al 76. with prospectively collected data on maternal cigarette smoking reported tendencies toward earlier age of first nocturnal emission, acne and voice break; indicating an earlier age of pubertal development among exposed men.…”

“…Of these, nine studies investigated female puberty656667686970717273 and three studies investigated male puberty 747576…”

A three-generation study on the association of tobacco smoking with asthma

“…Mothers’ smoking was classified according to the birth year of each offspring: ‘smoking when the offspring was in utero ’ (mothers smoked during their child’s birth year and/or during the previous year; these mothers also smoked during other periods); ‘smoking during other periods’ [mothers stopped smoking at least 2 years prior to their child's birth year (at least 3 months before conception) and/or started or restarted smoking after their child's birth year]; or ‘not smoking’. Fathers’ smoking was classified as: ‘smoking initiation before 15 years of age’ (before the mean age of completed puberty in boys); 20 ‘smoking initiation at 15 years of age or older’; or ‘not smoking’. At ECRHS I, the parents provided information on their mother’s smoking during the period around their birth.…”

Father’s environment before conception and asthma risk in his children: a multi-generation analysis of the Respiratory Health In Northern Europe study

“…Fathers' age of starting smoking was categorized as before or after 15 years, the mean age of completed puberty (mean age of voice break 14.5 years, first nocturnal emission 14.8 years). 19 …”

“…Those answering 'yes' were asked about years of starting and quitting. Median age for starting welding was 19 years (interquartile range [17][18][19][20][21][22] among those who started welding before conception.…”