Association between rs1051730 and smoking during pregnancy in Dutch women.

Introduction The common genetic variant (rs1051730) in the 15q24 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene cluster CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 was associated with smoking quantity and has been reported to be associated also with reduced ability to quit smoking in pregnant women but results were inconsistent in non pregnant women. The aim of this study was to explore the association between rs1051730 and smoking cessation during pregnancy in a sample of Dutch women. Methods Data on smoking during pregnancy were available from 1,337 women who ever smoked registered at the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR). Logistic regression was used to assess evidence for association of rs1051730 genotype on smoking during pregnancy. In a subsample of 561 women we investigated the influence of partner's smoking. Educational attainment and year of birth were used as covariates in both analyses. Results There was evidence for a significant association between having 1 or more T allele's of the rs1051730 polymorphism and the likelihood of smoking during pregnancy (P = 0.03, odds ratio = 1.28, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.61). However, this association attenuated when adjusting for birth cohort and educational attainment (P = 0.37, odds ratio = 1.12, 95% confidence interval: 0.87, 1.43). In the subsample, Smoking spouse was highly associated with smoking during pregnancy, even when educational attainment and birth cohort were included in the model. Conclusions Our results did not support a strong association between this genetic variant and smoking during pregnancy. However, a strong association was observed with smoking behavior of the partner, regardless of the genotype of the women. Implications The present study emphasizes the importance of social influences like spousal smoking on smoking behavior of pregnant women. Further research is needed to address the role of rs1051730 genetic variant in influencing smoking cessation and the interaction with important environmental factors like smoking behavior of the partner.