Umbilical arteries of babies born to cigarette smokers generate less prostacyclin and contain less arginine and citrulline compared with those of babies born to control subjects

OBJECTIVE: The hyposthesis of this study was that umbilical arteries of babies born to smoking mothers produce less nitric oxide and prostacyclin than do those of nonsmoking mothers. STUDY DESIGN: l-Arginine, l-citrulline, l-cysteine, and prostacyclin were measured in the umbilical arteries of 11 babies born to smoking mothers and 16 infants born to nonsmoking controls. The concentrations in the two groups were compared with the modified t test. RESULTS: The generation of prostacyclin was reduced in the umbilical arteries of infants of smoking mothers. Similarly, l-arginine and l-citrulline, but not l-cysteine levels, in these arteries were supressed compared with those of the nonsmoking controls. CONCLUSION: Along with the known direct vasoconstrictive effect of nicotine, nitric oxide and prostacyclin deficiency may affect the uteroplacental blood flow and contribute to the impaired fetal nutrition and increased perinatal mortality of babies born to women who smoke.