Open AccessAssessment of urinary cotinine levels in women with gynecological complaints at a tertiary care hospital: A pilot study
Author(s) -
A. G. Radhika,
Sruthi Bhaskaran,
Jagdish Kaur,
Anshuja Singla,
T. Sharma,
B. D. Banerjee
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
indian journal of public health/indian journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.381
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 2229-7693
pISSN - 0019-557X
DOI - 10.4103/ijph.ijph_266_17
Subject(s) - medicine , cotinine , infertility , outpatient clinic , obstetrics , urinary system , pelvic inflammatory disease , gynecology , pregnancy , nicotine , biology , genetics
Gynecological effects due to smokeless tobacco exposure are not well studied. This cross-sectional study was undertaken with the objective to evaluate the urinary cotinine levels in women of reproductive age with gynecological complaints. The study was conducted in 2015 at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi. A total of 192 consecutive women presenting with gynecological complaints (pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, and menstrual abnormality) were recruited. Their demographic details and tobacco exposure were recorded. All of them denied exposure to any form of tobacco. Urinary cotinine level of each participant was measured. The mean urinary cotinine level was 23.60 ± 12.00 ng/ml. PID was the most common gynecological complaint. Women with PID had significantly higher urinary cotinine levels compared to those with menstrual complaints and infertility: 24.9548 (±12.259) ng/ml versus 20.2042 (±10.9248) ng/ml. This study highlights the importance of addressing the issue of secondhand smoke exposure and reproductive morbidities in women.