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Compounds that are systemically absorbed during the course of cigarette smoking, and their metabolites, affect the coagulation system and cause endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia, and platelet activation leading to a prothrombotic state. In addition, smoking increases the activity of fibrinogen, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein. We hypothesize that smoking may affect functional coagulation testing during pregnancy. A secondary analysis of 371 women pregnant with a singleton pregnancy and enrolled in a multicenter, prospective observational study of complications of factor V Leiden mutation subsequently underwent functional coagulation testing for antithrombin III, protein C antigen and activity, and protein S antigen and activity. Smoking was assessed by self-report at time of enrollment (<14 weeks). None of the functional coagulation testing results was altered by maternal smoking during pregnancy. Smoking does not affect the aforementioned functional coagulation testing results during pregnancy., (Copyright © 2012 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.)

Antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with a spectrum of pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia and small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses. We sought to assess anticardiolipin and anti-beta2-glycoprotein I (anti-beta2-GPI) IgG and IgM antibody prevalence and the relationship of these antibodies to pregnancy complications in women with the Factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation. The study comprised a secondary analysis of a multicenter, prospective observational study of FVL prevalence among 5188 asymptomatic pregnant women. A subset of 362 women (117 FVL heterozygotes, 245 matched controls) had serum collected at the time of the original study and underwent serum analysis for anticardiolipin and anti-beta2-GPI IgG and IgM as a part of this analysis. The primary outcome was preeclampsia and/or SGA (<10%). The overall prevalence of anticardiolipin and anti-beta2-GPI IgG and IgM antibodies was low and did not vary with FVL status. Forty-seven women (13.0%) developed preeclampsia and/or SGA. There were no differences in primary outcome rates between women with and without aPL antibodies, regardless of FVL mutation status. Among FVL carriers, the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies does not appear to contribute to adverse pregnancy outcome., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To estimate whether maternal carriage of the prothrombin gene G20210A mutation is associated with pregnancy loss, preeclampsia, placental abruption, or small for gestational age (SGA) neonates in a low-risk, prospective cohort., Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development factor V Leiden study, a multicenter, prospective, observational cohort of 5,188 unselected singleton gestations. A total of 4,167 first-trimester samples were available for analysis and were tested for the prothrombin G20210A mutation. Obstetric complications were compared between women with and without the prothrombin G20210A mutation by univariable and multivariable analysis., Results: A total of 157 (3.8%) women had the prothrombin gene mutation (156 heterozygous and one homozygous). Carriers of the prothrombin G20210A mutation had similar rates of pregnancy loss, preeclampsia, SGA neonates, and abruption compared with noncarriers. Results were similar in a multivariable analysis controlling for age, race, prior pregnancy loss, prior SGA neonates, and family history of thromboembolism. Three thromboembolic events occurred in women testing negative for the mutation., Conclusion: There was no association between the prothrombin G20210A mutation and pregnancy loss, preeclampsia, abruption, or SGA neonates in a low-risk, prospective cohort. These data raise questions about the practice of screening women without a history of thrombosis or adverse pregnancy outcomes for this mutation., Level of Evidence: II.