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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Nicotine exposure in breastfed infants.
A Dahlström1, C Ebersjö, B Lundell
1Department of Paediatrics at Stockholm Söder Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. anders.dahlstrom@sos.sll.se
Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|July 13, 2004
Summary
Breastfed infants exposed to parental smoking or snuff use ingest nicotine through breast milk. Healthcare providers should counsel breastfeeding mothers on these risks.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatrics
- Toxicology
Background:
- Parental smoking is a known health risk to infants.
- Nicotine exposure in infants can occur through various routes, including breast milk.
- The impact of parental tobacco use on nicotine levels in breast milk requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify nicotine exposure in exclusively breastfed infants.
- To correlate infant nicotine exposure with parental smoking and snuff-taking habits.
- To assess the influence of timing between maternal nicotine use and breastfeeding on milk nicotine levels.
Main Methods:
- Studied 40 mother-infant pairs (exclusively breastfed infants, 6 weeks old).
- Collected breast milk and infant urine samples.
- Analyzed nicotine and cotinine concentrations using gas chromatography; infant milk intake calculated by weighing.
Main Results:
- Nicotine detected in breast milk even from non-smoking mothers with smoking partners.
- Mean milk nicotine concentration was 44 µg/l in smoking/snuff-taking mothers.
- Infant urinary cotinine levels correlated significantly with ingested nicotine dose (r=0.84, p<0.01).
Conclusions:
- Breastfed infants are exposed to nicotine through breast milk if mothers smoke or use snuff.
- Higher nicotine levels in milk observed with shorter intervals between maternal smoking and breastfeeding.
- Passive smoke exposure and maternal snuff use contribute to infant nicotine exposure via breast milk.
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