Results of Smoking in Pregnancy: The Genotoxic Effect of Nicotine or why Cigarette should not be Smoked in Pregnancy?

Smoking in women is a rapidly growing and serious public health problem worldwide. All tobacco products contain toxicants, so smoking increases risk for disease. Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for numerous disorders, including cancers affecting organs outside the respiratory tract. Nicotine readily crosses the placenta and the fetuses of mothers who smoke are exposed to relatively higher nicotine concentrations than their mothers. Cigarette abuse during pregnancy increases maternal health risks as well as mental and physical problems for the fetus, contributing to multiple adverse outcomes such as preterm delivery and stillbirth. Recent studies have suggested a direct contribution of nicotine the addictive component of tobacco and tobacco smoke to human carcinogenesis, and it remains the most common harmful substance to which pregnant women are exposed. Also, it has deleterious effects on the fetus. The newborns of smoking mothers have elevated frequencies of chromosome translocations and DNA strand breaks. It is known that cigarette smoking has genotoxic effects and causes mutations. The toxic substances from cigarette smoke induce structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations in vitro and could potentially increase levels of aneuploidy in the fetus. Moreover, increased levels of aneusomy in fetus are correlated with low implantation rates, spontaneous abortions and fetal losses. Due to the harmful effects of cigarette, pregnancy is one of the ideal times to quit smoking. Because, mothers should repeatedly be awared about the harmful effects of cigarette on their baby health and that the pregnancy period is perfect time to quit smoking for having a healthy baby. It is up to you.