Does smoking influence serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in mid-trimester pregnancies?
Haddow, J.E.; Palomaki, G.; Kloza, E.M.; Knight, G.J.
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 91(12): 1188-1191
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0306-5456 PMID: 6083799 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1984.tb04735.xDocument Number: 406921
The effects of cigarette smoking during pregnancy on serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels was assessed in 1925 consecutive women at 16-18 weeks, gestation who subsequently delivered a liveborn singleton infant. Cotinine and AFP were measured in sera in all study subjects and answers to a smoking questionnaire were analyzed in 894 subjects. Mean serum AFP levels for the 308 self-reported smokers and the 586 nonsmokers were similar at all 3 gestational weeks. When analyzed by cotinine levels, cigarette smoking again had no measurable effect on serum AFP levels. However, infants born to women who smoked were an average of 198 gm lighter than those born to nonsmokers. The finding that cigarette smoking during pregnancy does not influence serum AFP levels differs from that reported in an earlier study, despite the fact that women in both studies had similar median body weights. It is concluded that, unless data to the contrary appear, meternal smoking habits should not be part of the interpretive process for maternal serum AFP levels.