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Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Prenatal smoking exposure and asymmetric fetal growth restriction
Ali Delpisheh1, Loretta Brabin, Sandra Drummond
1Child and Reproductive Health Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK.
Background:
Prenatal smoking exposure causes intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR), although its effects on fetal proportionality are less clearly defined.
Aim:
The present study assessed fetal proportionality in babies with IUGR using maternal salivary cotinine to indicate maternal smoking exposure.
Subjects And Methods:
A case-control study at the Liverpool Women's Hospital, UK of babies with asymmetric and symmetric IUGR and non-growth restricted babies was carried out.
Results:
270 white women including 90 IUGR cases and 180 controls were enrolled. Asymmetry presented in 52.2% of IUGR cases. Geometric mean maternal cotinine concentration was higher with asymmetric (p=0.002) than symmetric IUGR (p=0.07), when compared to controls. Maternal smoking exposure was independently associated with asymmetric IUGR (OR 2.4, 95% CI, 1.5-4.4, p
Conclusions:
Asymmetric IUGR occurred more frequently in heavy smokers. Stopping smoking even late in pregnancy may be beneficial for improved fetal outcomes. Symmetric IUGR was associated with maternal anaemia, highlighting the importance of prenatal nutritional status.
