The effects of nicotine and cigarette smoke on pregnant female albino rats and their offsprings

The following results were obtained in a study of a large number of nicotine-injected and smoked female rats and their offsprings: 1.1. Two-thirds of all the young of treated mothers were underweight; the young from nicotine-injected mothers were more underweight than those from smoked mothers. 2.2. The underweight group remained underweight during the entire period of observation; many of the young of this group were undersized and died early. 3.3. Of the females injected, 63.3 per cent lost one or more young before weaning, and 33.3 per cent lost all of their young. 4.4. Of the mothers exposed to tobacco smoke, 28 per cent lost one or more of the young before weaning, and 13.5 per cent lost all of their young. 5.5. Of the mothers smoked prior to mating, 23.3 per cent lost one or more of their young before weaning, and 25 per cent were underweight. 6.6. In both groups of the treated mothers, temporary sterility, resorption of young in utero, and abortions were noted. 7.7. Alteration of maternal behavior was observed and consisted of cannibalism and neglect of the young as to care and feeding. 8.8. A marked parallelism exists between the treated rat females and their young and human mothers and their young in cases where the mother is a heavy smoker or is employed in the tobacco industry. 9.9. Individual variation is much in evidence.