[Vitamin A levels among nonsmoking mothers of children with orofacial clefts married to a smoker].

UNLABELLED: Passive smokers have lower plasma levels of pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene) than do unexposed nonsmokers. Maternal insufficiency of vitamin A (retinol) during pregnancy results in congenital abnormalities in the offspring. Our aim was to examine vitamin A concentrations in passive smoking and non-smoking mothers of children with isolated orofacial clefts.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

Plasma samples from 68 never smoking mothers and 15 non-smoking mothers married to a smoker (> or = 20 cigarettes/day) were analyzed for retinol. All participants answered a questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviors. Retinol concentrations were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC).

RESULTS

Passive smokers have significantly lower plasma retinol concentrations (1.86 micromol/L vs. 2.21 micromol/L; p<0.05) and ratio of plasma retinol to plasma total cholesterol levels (0.33 micromol/mmol vs. 0.48 micromol/mmol; p<0.05) than never smokers. Women married to a smoker had also lower socioeconomic status.

CONCLUSIONS

Polish nonsmoking mothers of children with orofacial clefts married to a heavy smoker are probably at increased risk to have low plasma retinol levels. Usefulness of higher periconceptional supplementation with vitamin A in that subset of women requires further research.