Contributed by Jai A. Dennison| 09 March, 2005 16:52 GMT
Statistical analysis indicated that a certain chromosomal region, which has been implicated in the development of malignancies related to the formation of blood or blood cells, was most affected by tobacco.
Smoking during pregnancy may lead to the development of genetic abnormalities in the fetus that have been associated with cancer, particularly childhood malignancies, suggests a study published in the March 9 issue of JAMA.
Smoking has consequences before and after pregnancy, such as infertility, coagulation problems, obstetric complications (for example, extrauterine pregnancy and placenta previa) and intrauterine growth retardation, according to background information in the article.
However, only indirect data have been published on a possible genotoxic effect on pregnancy in humans. ("Genotoxic" means having the effect of damaging DNA, possibly causing genetic mutation.)
More Chromosomal Abnormalities
Rosa Ana de la Chica, M.Sc., of the Universitat Aut |
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