Smoking cessation early in pregnancy and birth weight, length, head circumference, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in umbilical and chorionic vessels: an observational study of healthy singleton pregnancies

Malene R Andersen; Ulf Simonsen; Niels Uldbjerg; Steen Stender; Christian Aalkjær

doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.755769

Smoking cessation early in pregnancy and birth weight, length, head circumference, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in umbilical and chorionic vessels: an observational study of healthy singleton pregnancies

Malene R Andersen, Ulf Simonsen, Niels Uldbjerg, Steen Stender, Christian Aalkjær

Department of Clinical Medicine

49 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Reduced production of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) in fetal vessels in pregnant smokers may lower the blood flow to the fetus and result in lower birth weight, length, and head circumference. The present study measured endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity in fetal umbilical and chorionic vessels from nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers and related the findings to the fetal outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 266 healthy, singleton pregnancies, 182 women were nonsmokers, 43 were smokers, and 41 stopped smoking early in pregnancy. eNOS activity and concentration were quantified in endothelial cells of the fetal vessels. Cotinine, lipid profiles, estradiol, l-arginine, and dimethylarginines that may affect NO production were determined in maternal and fetal blood. Serum cotinine verified self-reported smoking. Newborns of smokers had a lower weight (P< or =0.001) and a smaller head circumference (P< or =0.041) and were shorter (P< or =0.001) than newborns of nonsmokers and ex-smokers. eNOS activity in umbilical veins of smokers was 36% lower (P<0.001), eNOS concentration was 47% lower (P<0.001), and the fetal plasma level of high-density lipoprotein was 18% lower (P<0.001) than those of nonsmokers, whereas the same levels were found in umbilical veins from ex-smokers and nonsmokers. The same patterns in eNOS activity and concentration were found in umbilical arteries and chorionic vessels. Fetal plasma levels of estradiol, l-arginine, dimethylarginines, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were similar for nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that maternal smoking reduces eNOS activity in the fetal vascular bed, contributing to retarded fetal growth caused by the reduction of vasodilatory capacity, and suggest that smoking cessation early in pregnancy prevents these effects in newborns.

Original language	English
Journal	Circulation
Volume	119
Issue number	6
Pages (from-to)	857-64
Number of pages	8
ISSN	0009-7322
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.755769
Publication status	Published - 2009

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Andersen, M. R., Simonsen, U., Uldbjerg, N., Stender, S., & Aalkjær, C. (2009). Smoking cessation early in pregnancy and birth weight, length, head circumference, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in umbilical and chorionic vessels: an observational study of healthy singleton pregnancies. Circulation, 119(6), 857-64. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.755769

Smoking cessation early in pregnancy and birth weight, length, head circumference, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in umbilical and chorionic vessels: an observational study of healthy singleton pregnancies. / Andersen, Malene R; Simonsen, Ulf; Uldbjerg, Niels et al.

In: Circulation, Vol. 119, No. 6, 2009, p. 857-64.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Andersen, MR, Simonsen, U, Uldbjerg, N, Stender, S & Aalkjær, C 2009, 'Smoking cessation early in pregnancy and birth weight, length, head circumference, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in umbilical and chorionic vessels: an observational study of healthy singleton pregnancies', Circulation, vol. 119, no. 6, pp. 857-64. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.755769

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title = "Smoking cessation early in pregnancy and birth weight, length, head circumference, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in umbilical and chorionic vessels: an observational study of healthy singleton pregnancies",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Reduced production of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) in fetal vessels in pregnant smokers may lower the blood flow to the fetus and result in lower birth weight, length, and head circumference. The present study measured endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity in fetal umbilical and chorionic vessels from nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers and related the findings to the fetal outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 266 healthy, singleton pregnancies, 182 women were nonsmokers, 43 were smokers, and 41 stopped smoking early in pregnancy. eNOS activity and concentration were quantified in endothelial cells of the fetal vessels. Cotinine, lipid profiles, estradiol, l-arginine, and dimethylarginines that may affect NO production were determined in maternal and fetal blood. Serum cotinine verified self-reported smoking. Newborns of smokers had a lower weight (P< or =0.001) and a smaller head circumference (P< or =0.041) and were shorter (P< or =0.001) than newborns of nonsmokers and ex-smokers. eNOS activity in umbilical veins of smokers was 36% lower (P<0.001), eNOS concentration was 47% lower (P<0.001), and the fetal plasma level of high-density lipoprotein was 18% lower (P<0.001) than those of nonsmokers, whereas the same levels were found in umbilical veins from ex-smokers and nonsmokers. The same patterns in eNOS activity and concentration were found in umbilical arteries and chorionic vessels. Fetal plasma levels of estradiol, l-arginine, dimethylarginines, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were similar for nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that maternal smoking reduces eNOS activity in the fetal vascular bed, contributing to retarded fetal growth caused by the reduction of vasodilatory capacity, and suggest that smoking cessation early in pregnancy prevents these effects in newborns.",

author = "Andersen, {Malene R} and Ulf Simonsen and Niels Uldbjerg and Steen Stender and Christian Aalkj{\ae}r",

note = "Keywords: Adult; Birth Weight; Body Height; Chorion; Female; Fetus; Head; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Pregnancy; Smoking Cessation; Umbilical Veins; Vasodilation; Young Adult",

year = "2009",

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T1 - Smoking cessation early in pregnancy and birth weight, length, head circumference, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in umbilical and chorionic vessels: an observational study of healthy singleton pregnancies

AU - Andersen, Malene R

AU - Simonsen, Ulf

AU - Uldbjerg, Niels

AU - Stender, Steen

AU - Aalkjær, Christian

N1 - Keywords: Adult; Birth Weight; Body Height; Chorion; Female; Fetus; Head; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Pregnancy; Smoking Cessation; Umbilical Veins; Vasodilation; Young Adult

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - BACKGROUND: Reduced production of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) in fetal vessels in pregnant smokers may lower the blood flow to the fetus and result in lower birth weight, length, and head circumference. The present study measured endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity in fetal umbilical and chorionic vessels from nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers and related the findings to the fetal outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 266 healthy, singleton pregnancies, 182 women were nonsmokers, 43 were smokers, and 41 stopped smoking early in pregnancy. eNOS activity and concentration were quantified in endothelial cells of the fetal vessels. Cotinine, lipid profiles, estradiol, l-arginine, and dimethylarginines that may affect NO production were determined in maternal and fetal blood. Serum cotinine verified self-reported smoking. Newborns of smokers had a lower weight (P< or =0.001) and a smaller head circumference (P< or =0.041) and were shorter (P< or =0.001) than newborns of nonsmokers and ex-smokers. eNOS activity in umbilical veins of smokers was 36% lower (P<0.001), eNOS concentration was 47% lower (P<0.001), and the fetal plasma level of high-density lipoprotein was 18% lower (P<0.001) than those of nonsmokers, whereas the same levels were found in umbilical veins from ex-smokers and nonsmokers. The same patterns in eNOS activity and concentration were found in umbilical arteries and chorionic vessels. Fetal plasma levels of estradiol, l-arginine, dimethylarginines, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were similar for nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that maternal smoking reduces eNOS activity in the fetal vascular bed, contributing to retarded fetal growth caused by the reduction of vasodilatory capacity, and suggest that smoking cessation early in pregnancy prevents these effects in newborns.

AB - BACKGROUND: Reduced production of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) in fetal vessels in pregnant smokers may lower the blood flow to the fetus and result in lower birth weight, length, and head circumference. The present study measured endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity in fetal umbilical and chorionic vessels from nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers and related the findings to the fetal outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 266 healthy, singleton pregnancies, 182 women were nonsmokers, 43 were smokers, and 41 stopped smoking early in pregnancy. eNOS activity and concentration were quantified in endothelial cells of the fetal vessels. Cotinine, lipid profiles, estradiol, l-arginine, and dimethylarginines that may affect NO production were determined in maternal and fetal blood. Serum cotinine verified self-reported smoking. Newborns of smokers had a lower weight (P< or =0.001) and a smaller head circumference (P< or =0.041) and were shorter (P< or =0.001) than newborns of nonsmokers and ex-smokers. eNOS activity in umbilical veins of smokers was 36% lower (P<0.001), eNOS concentration was 47% lower (P<0.001), and the fetal plasma level of high-density lipoprotein was 18% lower (P<0.001) than those of nonsmokers, whereas the same levels were found in umbilical veins from ex-smokers and nonsmokers. The same patterns in eNOS activity and concentration were found in umbilical arteries and chorionic vessels. Fetal plasma levels of estradiol, l-arginine, dimethylarginines, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were similar for nonsmokers, smokers, and ex-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that maternal smoking reduces eNOS activity in the fetal vascular bed, contributing to retarded fetal growth caused by the reduction of vasodilatory capacity, and suggest that smoking cessation early in pregnancy prevents these effects in newborns.

U2 - 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.755769

DO - 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.755769

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19188513

SN - 0009-7322

VL - 119

SP - 857

EP - 864

JO - Circulation

JF - Circulation

IS - 6

ER -