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Maternal smoking and fetal lung signals – an in utero MRI investigation
Author(s) -
Schmid Maximilian,
Marschalek Julian,
Springer Stephanie,
Klein Katharina,
Kasprian Gregor,
Prayer Daniela
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.3823
Subject(s) - fetus , medicine , gestation , lung , pregnancy , magnetic resonance imaging , gestational age , in utero , obstetrics , radiology , biology , genetics
Objective To investigate whether fetal lung signals and fetal lung signal progression over gestation observed on magnetic resonance imaging are different in mothers who reported smoking during pregnancy compared with nonsmoking controls. Method Cross‐sectional retrospective study of 100 consecutive singleton pregnancies that underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Fetal lung–liver signal intensity ratios of 18 fetuses of mothers who reported smoking during pregnancy were compared with 82 fetuses of nonsmoking controls. Results Average gestational age at magnetic resonance imaging was 26.4 ± 5.2 weeks (Range 18.4–38.2 weeks). Cases reported smoking between 2 and 15 cigarettes per day. The mean number of cigarettes per day for cases was 9.2 ± 3.4. Mean fetal lung‐liver signal intensity ratios did not differ significantly between the two groups ( p = 0.8). They showed a linear increase with gestational age ( r 2 = 0.3). Multiple regression analysis of lung–liver signal intensity ratios using gestational age and smoking status as predictors revealed a significant influence of gestational age ( p < 0.0001) but not maternal smoking status ( p = 0.8) on fetal lung–liver signal intensity ratios. Conclusions Fetuses of mothers who reported smoking during pregnancy show similar lung signals and lung signal progression over gestation on magnetic resonance imaging as nonsmoking controls. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.