[Effect of parental smoking on feeding pattern and weight of infants].

The effect of parental smoking on feeding pattern, birth weight and weight gain were studied in 13503 randomly selected infants aged 11-180 days. Among them 53% were exposed to parental smoking. The infants of smoking mothers tend to have lower birth weight and higher frequency of birth weight below 2500 g. When mothers smoke the infants born with weight below 2500 g who were exclusively breastfed gained daily significantly less. Smoking mothers less frequently initiated breastfeeding. Maternal smoking was associated with shortened exclusive and total breastfeeding duration. When the father smoked also, the effect of maternal smoking on birth weight, daily weight gain and risk of earlier weaning was significantly increased.