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Nucleated red blood cells in infants of smoking mothers
M Yeruchimovich1, S Dollberg, D W Green
1Department of Neonatology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel.
Insights
Infants born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy have higher nucleated red blood cell (RBC) counts at birth. This count directly correlates with the number of cigarettes smoked, indicating a significant impact of maternal smoking on fetal development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Perinatal Toxicology
- Fetal Development
Background:
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy is a significant public health concern.
- The effects of smoking on fetal development require further investigation.
- Nucleated red blood cells (RBCs) are immature red blood cells that may indicate fetal stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if term, appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants born to smoking mothers exhibit elevated absolute nucleated RBC counts.
- To investigate the correlation between maternal smoking and nucleated RBC levels in newborns.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study was conducted on term, AGA infants born vaginally.
- Two groups were analyzed: infants of smoking mothers (n=30) and infants of non-smoking mothers (n=30).
- Absolute nucleated RBC counts were measured within the first 12 hours of life, with exclusions for infants with specific medical conditions.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in birth weight, gestational age, or Apgar scores between the groups.
- Infants of smoking mothers had a significantly higher median absolute nucleated RBC count (0.5 x 10(9)/L) compared to controls (0.0005 x 10(9)/L).
- Regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the absolute nucleated RBC count.
Conclusions:
- Term AGA infants born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy present with increased circulating absolute nucleated RBC counts at birth.
- The absolute nucleated RBC count in newborns is a reliable indicator that correlates with the extent of maternal smoking during pregnancy.
Objective:
To evaluate whether the absolute nucleated red blood cell (RBC) count is elevated in term, appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants born to smoking women.
Methods:
We compared absolute nucleated RBC counts taken during the first 12 hours of life in two groups of term, vaginally delivered, AGA infants, one group born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy (n = 30) and the other born to mothers who did not smoke (n = 30). We excluded infants of women with diabetes, hypertension, or alcohol or drug abuse, and infants with heart rate abnormalities, hemolysis, blood loss, or chromosomal anomalies.
Results:
There were no differences between the groups in birth weight, gestational age, maternal age, gravidity, parity, maternal analgesia during labor, 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores, corrected white blood cell counts, lymphocyte counts, or hematocrits. The median absolute nucleated RBC count in infants of smoking mothers was 0.5 x 10(9)/L (range 0 to 5.0) versus 0.0005 x 10(9)/L (range 0 to 0.6) in nonsmoking controls (P < .002). Regression analysis that included Apgar scores, gestational age, and number of cigarettes smoked per day showed a significant correlation of absolute nucleated RBC count only with the number of cigarettes smoked per day (P < .001).
Conclusion:
At birth, term AGA infants born to smoking mothers have increased circulating absolute nucleated RBC counts compared with controls. The absolute nucleated RBC count in newborns correlates with the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy.