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EFFECT OF SMOKING DURING PREGNANCY UPON THE HAEMATOLOGICAL VALUES OF CORD BLOOD
Author(s) -
D'Ssouza S. W.,
Black Patricia M.,
Williams Norma,
Jennison R. F.
Publication year - 1978
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.1471-0528.1978.tb15621.x
Subject(s) - cord blood , pregnancy , medicine , obstetrics , fetus , cord , physiology , umbilical cord , immunology , surgery , biology , genetics
Summary Haematological indices in cord blood, measured by a Coulter Counter, in 50 mothers who smoked 10 or more cigarettes a day were compared with those in 75 control mothers who were non‐smokers, but of similar age and parity. Smoking during pregnancy was associated with higher levels of haemoglobin, and the haematocrit, as well as with higher red cell counts and a higher mean corpuscular haemoglobin. The percentage of fetal haemoglobin in cord blood was not affected by smoking. There was no correlation between social class and cord blood haemoglobin; but within social class groups, higher cord blood haemoglobin levels were associated with smoking. It is suggested that smoking during pregnancy stimulates fetal erythropoeisis.