Environmental XXXX smoke exposure among pregnant @entity1 : impact on fetal biometry at 20-24 weeks of gestation and newborn @entity1 's birth weight.

@entity1 @entity286 @entity5562 @entity4874
AIM: While there are sufficient data regarding the negative effect of exposure to the constituents of @entity286 smoke on newborn @entity1 ' birth weights, it is still unclear whether this effect may originate in early pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of exposure to @entity286 smoke components in early pregnancy (20-24 weeks) on fetal biometry. METHODS: The study population comprised 183 @entity1 consecutively enrolled at 20-24 weeks of pregnancy at the two antenatal care units. Ultrasound biometric measurements of fetal @entity5562 ( @entity5562 ), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL) were performed at the time of enrollment. Serum @entity4874 concentration was determined at 20-24 weeks of gestation by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detector (GC/MS) to assess environmental @entity286 smoke (ETS) exposure during the previous evening and the morning of the same day (blood collection at 1200-1300 h). ETS exposure (passive smoking) was assumed to occur when the level of serum @entity4874 ranged from 2-10 ng/ml. RESULTS: In a multiple regression model for @entity5562 ( @entity5562 ), after adjustment for pregnancy duration at the time of ultrasound examination, fetal gender, and maternal pre-pregnancy weight, a statistically significant negative association was found between the @entity5562 and serum @entity4874 concentration. A similar association was identified for subjects with serum @entity4874 concentrations below 10 ng/ml (corresponding to passive smoking) (P=0.06). After controlling for pregnancy duration, maternal pre-pregnancy weight and @entity1 's gender, we found that serum @entity4874 levels at 20-24 weeks of gestation was inversely associated with @entity1 birth weight (P=0.004). For the subjects with serum @entity4874 levels below 10 ng/ml, a borderline association (P=0.09) with @entity1 birth weight was found. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal exposure to @entity286 smoke in early pregnancy, as measured by serum @entity4874 concentrations at 20-24 weeks of gestation, adversely affects fetal @entity5562 . Preventive measures need to be undertaken to encourage pregnant @entity1 to stop smoking and avoid passive exposure to @entity286 smoke from the very beginning of pregnancy.
