Infant exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: Jordan University hospital-based study

To study exposure to environmental tobacco smoke during the first year of life, 220 infants attending the outpatient paediatric clinic of the University of Jordan for routine visits with their mothers were recruited to the study. Mothers completed a questionnaire about smoking habits of household members, and urine samples were obtained from infants for analysis of cotinine levels. A total of 60.0% of infants were reported to be exposed to passive smoking at home and 36.4% had detectable levels of urine cotinine (mean 7.1 ng/mL, range 0.27–41 ng/mL). Detectable saliva cotinine levels in 8/20 mothers of neonates (1–2 days old) suggested in utero exposure. Recommendations are made to protect this vulnerable population from tobacco smoke exposure.