title: Occult maternal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke exposure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a recognised air pollutant. Its harmful effects have been found to be implicated in health disorders, including unfavourable pregnancy outcomes. The discrepancy between self-reported environmental tobacco smoke exposure and cotinine levels in pregnant non-smokers in France was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma cotinine was determined by a CPG-SM method on women who had answered a self-questionnaire describing their habits and environment during pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 698 pregnant women reported as non-smokers, 305 (43.7%) claimed not to be exposed to ETS, yet 196 of these (64.3%) had plasma cotinine levels above the limit of detection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-reported data on ETS exposure in pregnant women therefore underestimate actual exposure. However, cotinine assay can rectify this misclassification. An accurate identification of this risk factor will help to change attitudes towards ETS and avert its adverse effects on mother and fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry B, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, France. idechazeron@chu-clermontferrand.fr
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Chazeron
authors.forename: Pierre-Michel
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Llorca
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ughetto
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coudore
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boussiron
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perriot
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vendittelli
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sapin
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lemery
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D003367:Cotinine