Perinatal Complications Associated with Maternal Tobacco Use

Abstract

Tobacco Contains thousands of compounds that may have adverse effects on the human body. Nicotine and carbon monoxide are the two most important chemicals. Nicotine penetrates the placenta and can be identified in the fetal circulation at quantities that are 15% higher than mother plasma, while nicotine concentrations in amniotic fluid are 88 percent greater than maternal plasma (1) . Smoking in pregnancy has been associated with placenta Previa , abruption placentae, premature rupture of the membranes, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction and sudden infant death syndrome ( 1,2). The perinatal mortality rate among smokers is 150% greater than is seen in non-smokers It has been suggested that smoking is responsible for 15% of all preterm births and 20–30% of all low birthweight infants (2). These complications have a dramatic impact on overall perinatal morbidity and mortality