Cord blood clotting factors in neonates of smoking and non-smoking mothers.

Since smoking is known to influence hemostasis, the possible impact of maternal smoking on hemostatic variables in the newborn was studied. Cord blood clotting factors fibrinogen, factor VII, factor VIII:c and factor XIII were measured in 151 newborns. A significant reduction in birth weight and a rise in the placental/birth weight ratio was found in newborns of smoking mothers, which is in agreement with the literature. No differences in cord blood clotting factors were found between the smoking and non-smoking groups. A possible explanation for this, at least for lack of difference in fibrinogen levels, may be that fetal lungs were not directly exposed to smoke.