Smokeless Tobacco Exposure and Fetal Iron Status: An Analytical Study

OBJECTIVES: To compare the cord serum ferritin and fetal iron status in newborns with and without maternal occupational smokeless tobacco exposure and determine the influencing factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included mother–infant dyads with occupational tobacco exposure (exposed) and an unexposed group. Umbilical cord serum ferritin was compared in both groups. Fetal nicotine absorption was established by cord cotinine. RESULTS: A total of 140 newborns each were analyzed in each group. There was no significant mean difference (MD) (P = 0.900) between the cord serum ferritin in the tobacco exposed and unexposed group. Fetal nicotine absorption was seen in 43.6% of the exposed group. Cord serum ferritin was 14.1 μg/L (95% confidence interval [(95% CI:-43.1, 14.9); P=0.338] lower in this group compared with the group without fetal nicotine absorption. A higher adjusted MD for ferritin was present for maternal hypertension (12.5 [95% CI: −75.5, 100.5]; P = 0.777) and gestational diabetes mellitus (21.4 [95% CI: −54.0, 96.9]; P = 0.571) in the group with fetal nicotine absorption. Fetal nicotine absorption exaggerated fetal iron depletion in maternal anemia [aOR 4.8 (95%CI: 1.2, 19.0); P=0.025]. CONCLUSION: Cord serum ferritin and fetal iron status were comparable in tobacco exposed and unexposed groups. In those with fetal nicotine absorption, cord ferritin levels reflect the fetal inflammatory state.