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Tobacco and Pregnancy: Overview of exposures and effects
Citation:
ROGERS, J. M. Tobacco and Pregnancy: Overview of exposures and effects. Birth Defects Research, Part C: Embryo Today: Reviews. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Indianapolis, IN, 84(1):1-15, (2008).
Impact/Purpose:
This paper reviews the epidemiology of the impact of cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco exposure on human development. Sources of exposure described include cigarettes and other forms of smoked tobacco, secondhand (environmental) tobacco smoke, several forms of smokeless tobacco, and nicotine from nicotine replacement therapy. Together, these exposures represent a huge effect on the health of the global human population. Environmental tobacco smoke is a major source of exposure, and is the major tobacco-related concern of the EPA. Agency scientists involved in reproductive and/or developmental toxicity, as well as those involved in assessing the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke, will hopefully find this review useful.
Description:
This opening paper will review the epidemiology of the impact of cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco exposure on human development. Sources of exposure described include cigarettes and other forms of smoked tobacco, secondhand (environmental) tobacco smoke, several forms of smokeless tobacco, and nicotine from nicotine replacement therapy. Exposure is immense and worldwide, most of it due to smoking, but in some parts of the world and in some populations, smoking is exceeded by smokeless tobacco use. Nicotine and carbon monoxide exposure are of large concern, but cigarette smoke contains over 4000 chemical constituents and additives including known carcinogens, toxic heavy metals, and many chemicals untested for developmental toxicity. The impact of tobacco on human development will be reviewed. Fertility, conception, survival of the conceptus, most phases and aspects of development studied to date, as well as postnatal survival and health are adversely impacted by maternal tobacco use or exposure. Effects in surviving offspring are probably life-long, and are still being elucidated. It is hoped that this review and those to follow in this issue will serve to keep a focus on the critical and continuing problem of tobacco use impacting human development.
