Effects of Maternal Smoking on Fetal Liver Circulation

Smoking is an agent that negatively affects of uteroplacental circulation and fetal development due to the chemical substances it contains, especially carbon monoxide and nicotine. According to the hypothesis of this study presented, the effects of smoking on the fetus can be determined by the liver circulation and hepatic metabolism. The basic assumption of this project is; Compensatory and pathological findings can be seen in the fetal liver circulation in babies of mothers who smoke and the findings can be valuable in predicting the direction of fetal development (growth retardation or normal development). In this study, the flow and shunt amounts in the fetal hepatic vessels in normal and smoking pregnant women will be calculated with the help of Doppler US.Therefore, we try to delineate pathological circulatory pattern in these fetuses and shed light to the mechanism of smoking-induced abnormal fetal development. In addition, the effects of other maternal demographic factors, cigarette amount, cotinine and expiratory carbon monoxide levels (or any correlation between them) on hepatic circulation and fetal development will be examined.