##submission.abstract##
Background: Though ill effects of maternal smoking on growing foetus and placenta is well established, passive/ second hand smoking has recently been implicated as another potential risk factor. The incidence of low birth weight, Intra-Uterine Growth Retardation (IUGR), prematurity and stillbirth has been associated with passive smoking. Our study focuses on the gross and histological changes in the full term placenta of women exposed to passive smoke from a close member of a family smoking at least 20 cigarettes/bidis per day.
Method: The present study is an endeavour to observe microscopic features (light microscope under 10X and 40X only) of placenta of pregnant women who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke from a close member of the family and simultaneously observe changes on growing foetus during level II ultrasound at 2nd trimester in terms of IUGR if any. This is a descriptive study with statistical analysis done using ‘Independent Sample Test’.
Results: The histopathological changes seen in the placenta of passive smokers were almost alike to active smokers showing increased syncytial knots, hyperplasia of cytotrophoblast cells and proliferation of fetal capillaries. However no significant IUGR was noticed during Level II USG of the fetuses.
Conclusion: On gross findings there was a definite co-relation with low birth weight babies born to passive smokers and a compensatory enlargement of the placenta. The microscopic changes seen in the placenta of passive smokers was a consistent finding similar to ischemic changes. No definite relationship could be established between the histological changes observed amongst passive smokers and IUGR seen in the growing foetus.