HEMOSTASIS IN NEWBORNS OF SMOKING AND NONSMOKING MOTHERS

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the effect of smoking during p regnancy on neonatal hemostasis. STUDY DESIGN: Venous blood samples of 26 newborns of smoking and 25 newborns of nonsmoking mothers were obt ained from the clamped umbilical cord immediately after birth. Prothro mbin fragment 1+2, thrombin-antithrombin III complex, plasmin-alpha(2) -antiplasmin complex, and D-dimer levels were determined to assess act ivation of coagulation and fibrinolysis. Cotinine was measured in all neonates to objectify cigarette smoke exposure. The Mann-Whitney U tes t was used to compare the differences between the values of the parame ters of coagulation and fibrinolysis in the two groups at the p < 0.05 level. RESULTS: The median values of prothrombin fragment 1+2 and thr ombin-antithrombin III complex in newborns exposed to tobacco smoke in utero did not differ from values of newborns who were not exposed. No r were the markers of fibrinolysis, plasmin-alpha(2)-antiplasmin compl ex and D-dimer levels, influenced by tobacco smoke exposure. CONCLUSIO N: The balance between the components of coagulation and fibrinolytic pathways in neonates is not disturbed by maternal smoking.