The effects of maternal smoking on pregnancy outcome and placental histopathology lesions.
To study the effects of maternal smoking on pregnancy outcome and placental histopathology findings.



Maternal and labor characteristics and pathological reports were compared between term placentas of complicated and uncomplicated pregnancies of: heavy smokers (>10 cigarettes per day, H-smokers), moderate smokers (<10 cigarettes per day, M-smokers) and non-smokers (controls, N-smokers).



Birth-weights were lower in the H-smokers and M-smokers as compared to the N-smokers (p<0.001), with a higher rate of small for gestational age (SGA): 18.2%, 19.2% and 11.4%, respectively (p=0.01). Deliveries among smokers were characterized by higher rates of abnormal fetal heart rate tracings during labor as compared to non-smokers (p=0.01). Rates of placental maternal and fetal stromal-vascular supply lesions was similar between the groups.



Maternal smoking is associated with higher rates of SGA. Tobacco's potential influence is probably through the disruption of normal placental epigenetic patterns, not expressed in placental histopathology lesions.
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: hadassganer@yahoo.com.
Hadas
H
Ganer Herman
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Hadas
H
Miremberg
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Neama
N
Nini
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Hagit
H
Feit
Department of Pathology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Letizia
L
Schreiber
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Jacob
J
Bar
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Michal
M
Kovo
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult