Smoke Carcinogen Affects Fetus

Abstract

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center have offered the first direct evidence that a carcinogenic chemical is transmitted to the fetus when a pregnant woman smokes. In findings presented last month at a national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Stephen Hecht, PhD, analyzed the first urine of 48 newborns born to smoking and nonsmoking mothers. The urine samples were provided by collaborators in Germany. In 22 of 31 samples from infants of smoking mothers, Hecht...