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Hematological parameters and cobalamin status in infants born to smoking mothers
Anne-Lise Bjørke Monsen1, Stein Emil Vollset, Helga Refsum
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. albm@online.no
Insights
Maternal smoking negatively impacts newborn health, leading to lower red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and vitamin B12 levels. This effect persists, influencing vitamin B12 function indicators in infants at six weeks.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Maternal health during pregnancy significantly influences neonatal outcomes.
- Nutritional status, particularly vitamin levels, is crucial for infant development.
- Smoking during pregnancy is a known risk factor for adverse neonatal health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of maternal smoking on hematological parameters in newborns.
- To assess the effect of maternal smoking on serum cobalamin (vitamin B12) and folate levels in neonates and infants.
- To determine if maternal smoking influences functional markers of vitamin B12 status, such as plasma methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 173 newborns and 46 infants at 6 weeks of age.
- Measurement of hematological parameters, serum cobalamin, and folate levels.
- Quantification of plasma methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine concentrations.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse correlation was observed between maternal smoking intensity and newborn red blood cell count (r = -0.56) and hemoglobin levels (r = -0.52).
- Neonates born to mothers who smoked exhibited lower red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and serum cobalamin levels compared to infants of non-smoking mothers.
- Maternal smoking at birth significantly predicted higher methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine levels at 6 weeks, indicating impaired cobalamin function.
Conclusions:
- Maternal smoking adversely affects neonatal hematological parameters and vitamin B12 status at birth.
- Smoking during pregnancy has a lasting impact on infant vitamin B12 function, as evidenced by altered methylmalonic acid and homocysteine levels at 6 weeks.
- These findings underscore the importance of smoking cessation during pregnancy to ensure optimal infant health and development.
Abstract:
Hematological parameters, serum cobalamin and folate levels, and the concentrations of the functional markers plasma methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine were determined in 173 newborns and 46 infants at 6 weeks to see whether maternal smoking influences the hematological parameters and the vitamin status of the newborn. At birth, there was a strong inverse correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per day during pregnancy and red blood cell count (r = -0.56, p = 0.001) and hemoglobin level (r = -0.52, p = 0.003) in the newborns. Neonates born to smoking mothers had lower red blood cell counts and lower hemoglobin and serum cobalamin levels as compared with infants born to nonsmoking mothers. At 6 weeks, maternal smoking significantly predicted the methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine levels, suggesting an influence from smoking on the cobalamin function in these infants.
