ABSTRACT
18.k.1. Biggs, J. S. G., Blood pressure changes following smoking in pregnancy, Aust. N. Z. J. Obstet. Gynaecol., 15, 204—208, 1975. Smoking one or two cigarettes increased diastolic pressure in eight patients, decreased it in one patient, and had no effect in three patients. Systolic pressure increased in nine patients and did not change in three patients. Many of the patients actually smoked 20 to 40 cigarettes a day. This would result in about an average of 8 min of hypertension per cigarette which would subject the fetus to such effects for 160 to 320 min/day. About 2 mg of nicotine are absorbed from a cigarette during smoking. Nicotine causes the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline from adrenergic nerve endings which can result in increased blood pressure.
