Science News Online (8/29/98): Smoking moms pass carcinogen to infants

References & Sources - August 29, 1998

<Back to Contents

Smoking moms pass carcinogen to infants

Pregnant women who smoke transmit a potent cancer-causing substance to their babies before birth.

1990. American Journal of Public Health 80(May):541.

Hecht, S.S. 1998. Metabolites of the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in the urine of newborns. Meeting of the American Chemical Society. August. Boston.

Further Readings:

Wu, C. 1997. Nonsmokers inhale carcinogen. Science News 152(Sept. 20):188.

Sources:

Lucy M. Anderson
National Institutes of Health
National Cancer Institute
NCI-FCRDC
Frederick, MD 21702

Stephen S. Hecht
University of Minnesota Cancer Center
Box 806, Mayo
420 Delaware Street, S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Back to Table of Contents - 8/29/98