Objectives: Cigarette smoking during pregnancy generates free radicals and has been implicated in oxidative cellular damage. Vitamin E is natural factor protecting cells from damaging influence of free oxygen species.
Design: The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of tobacco smoking during pregnancy on concentration of vitamin E in blood of mother and newborns.
Materials and methods: 147 healthy, pregnant women were divided into non-smoking (n = 85) and smoking group (n = 62) according to the concentration of cotinine in serum and urine. Level of vitamin E was measured by HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography) method in plasma and erythrocytes of mothers and umbilical cord blood.
Results: We observed that, in group of women smoking during pregnancy concentration of vitamin E was lower in plasma and in erythrocytes as compared with group of non-smoking women. Also in cord blood of newborns of smoking mothers level of vitamin E was significantly lower in plasma (p < 0.01) as well as in erythrocytes (p < 0.0001) than in control group.
Conclusion: Reduced concentration of plasma and erythrocytes vitamin E during pregnancy suggest that consumption of this antioxidant for neutralization of free radicals present in cigarette smoking is enhanced.