Effect of maternal obesity and passive smoking on red blood cells, Abeer Abd El Baky, Tarek El Shaer, Amany Elwan and Hanaa Rasmy
Abeer M. N. E. Abd El Baky and Tarek M. F. El Shaer, National Research Centre, Egypt
Amany Ezat Elwan, Cairo University, Egypt
Hanaa Rasmy, National Research Centre, Egypt
Abstract: Passive cigarette smoking and obesity during pregnancy are risk factors for adverse outcome in the infant. Elevated umbilical cord neonatal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) have been suggested as a marker of intrauterine foetalhypoxia. Aim to demonstrate whether maternal risk factors during pregnancy are capable of elevating circulating NRBCs measured at birth. We compared the count of NRBCs in the cord blood in three groups. Group I neonates born to obese mothers, group I) neonates born to mothers exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and control group III. The results reveal that maternal body mass index and infant birth weight were significantly higher in group I (p = < 0.001 and 0.037, respectively). The absolute NRBC count was higher in groups I and II compared to control group (p = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, the neonates of obese mothers and passive maternal smoking have increased NRBCs at birth.
Keywords: NRBCs; Nucleated red blood cells; Cigarette smoking; Obesity; Pregnancy
