Simultaneous fetal and maternal cotinine levels in pregnant women smokers.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine the simultaneous concentrations of serum cotinine in both fetal and maternal blood.


METHODS
Serum cotinine levels were measured in 11 maternal-fetal pairs at percutaneous umbilical blood sampling. Statistical analysis was performed by means of a one-group t test to determine whether the ratio of fetal-to-maternal cotinine was significantly different from 1.


RESULTS
Fetal cotinine levels ranged from 75% to 110% of maternal values (mean ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.83 to 0.97). Fetal levels were significantly lower than maternal concentrations (p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine used to quantify exposure to tobacco smoke, readily gains access to the fetal circulation. Fetal cotinine concentrations in pregnant women smokers are, on average, 90% of maternal values throughout gestation.
Donnenfeld
A E
AE
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia 19107.
Pulkkinen
A
A
Palomaki
G E
GE
Knight
G J
GJ
Haddow
J E
JE
D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*
D003367:Cotinine