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AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING ON MATERNAL OESTRIOL EXCRETION DURING PREGNANCY AND ON FETAL OUTCOME
Author(s) -
Targett Christopher S.,
Gunesee Harichchha,
McBride Frances,
Beischer Norman A.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1973.tb11224.x
Subject(s) - excretion , medicine , growth retardation , fetus , pregnancy , incidence (geometry) , obstetrics , perinatal mortality , fetal growth , physiology , endocrinology , biology , physics , optics , genetics
Summary In 1000 consecutive patients with singleton pregnancies 38.7 per cent were smokers and 13.7 per cent had subnormal oestriol excretion. There was a significant correlation between low oestriol excretion and both intrauterine fetal growth retardation and perinatal mortality (P<0.001). Smoking had a significant correlation with intrauterine growth retardation (P<0.001), but not with perinatal mortality (P<0.05). The incidence of low oestriol excretion in smokers (15.5 per cent) was not significantly different from that in non‐smokers (12.6 per cent) (P<0.25). Further study is required to evaluate the effects of heavy smoking on feto‐placental function. Hypoxia is probably not the important influence causing fetal growth retardation in smokers.