β-Carotene concentrations in maternal and cord blood of smokers and non-smokers

• Published in: Early human development Vol. 81; no. 4; pp. 313 - 317
• Main Authors: de Barros Silva, Silmara Salete, de Carvalho Rondó, Patricia Helen, Erzinger, Gilmar Sidnei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-04-2005; New York,NY Elsevier; Amsterdam
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; beta Carotene - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Female; Fetal Blood - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mothers; Newborn babies; Pregnancy; Smoking; Social Class; Umbilical cord; β-carotene; Brazil; β-carotene; Umbilical cord; Newborn babies; Mothers; Smoking; Human; Newborn; Mother; Carotene; Tobacco smoking
• ISSN: 0378-3782; 1872-6232
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2004.08.003

Smoking in pregnancy can cause a reduction in the transport of β-carotene across the placenta, consequently reflecting on the concentrations of this micronutrient in the newborn baby.
This study determined the concentrations of β-carotene in maternal blood and umbilical cord blood in a group of smokers and non-smokers.
A total of 215 women and respective newborn babies were selected from a hospital in Joinville city, Brazil, between July and November 2002. Women were divided in two groups according to their smoking habits. β-Carotene concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The difference between mean concentrations of β-carotene in maternal blood and cord blood, in smokers and non-smokers, was determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The Student's
t-test compared mean concentrations of β-carotene in maternal blood and cord blood, and the mean ingestion of foods rich in β-carotene by smokers and non-smokers.
There was a statistical significant difference between the concentrations of β-carotene in maternal blood (S=0.271 μmol/L, NS=0.450 μmol/L;
P=0.001) and cord blood (S=0.028 μmol/L, NS=0.045 μmol/L;
P=0.001) in smokers (S) and non-smokers (NS). The mean concentration of β-carotene was significantly higher in maternal blood (0.398 μmol/L) than in cord blood (0.041 μmol/L) (
P<0.001). The intake of foods rich in β-carotene was lower in smokers, than in non-smokers (
P=0.04).
The concentrations of β-carotene in maternal blood and cord blood were influenced by the use of tobacco.