Umbilical Arterial Cortisol and ACTH Levels in Infants of Pregnant Smokers

Principal Investigator:

Dr Sarah McDonald, University of Ottawa

Co-Investigators:

Dr Mark Walker, University of Ottawa
Dr William Gibb, University of Ottawa
Dr Sherry Perkins, University of Ottawa
Graeme Smith, Queen's University

Funding Agency: PSI (THE PHYSICIANS' SERVICES INCORPORATED FOUNDATION)

Objectives:

1. To determine if umbilical arterial cortisol levels and ACTH levels of infants born to mothers who smoke will be elevated as compared to infants of non-smokers and if infants of smokers undergo in utero "programming" of their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
2. To determine if cotinine levels will correlate with umbilical cortisol levels.

Duration of Study:

September 2001 to September 2003