title: Simultaneous fetal and maternal cotinine levels in pregnant women smokers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia 19107.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Donnenfeld
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pulkkinen
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Palomaki
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Haddow
mesh_terms: D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003367:Cotinine