Cigarette-Smoking and Lipids and Lipoproteins in Cord Plasma

Abstract

The effects of smoking on maternal and cord plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels were measured in 40 smoker mothers and their newborns and compared to nonsmokers. Significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol were found in smoker mothers and their newborns in comparison to nonsmokers. These results suggest that smoking does not affect only the lipids and lipoproteins of pregnant women but also those of their fetuses.