Monday, September 27, 2010

Pregnancy Tips : Smoking causes Ectopic pregnancy risk

Pregnant,smoking

Scientists have revealed female smokers have a higher risk of ectopic pregnancy - a condition affecting around 30,000 people in UK every year.

Ectopic pregnancies occur when a fertilised egg becomes implanted outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tubes.In a study University of Edinburgh researchers concluded that female smokers who have had experienced an ectopic pregnancy have raised levels of the protein PROKR1 in their fallopian tubes.Increased presence of PROKR1 is thought to hinder the transfer of eggs to the uterus by preventing the muscles in the fallopian tube walls from contracting.Cotinine in cigarette is responsible for the harmful levels of the protein.

According to a study published in the latest edition of the American Journal of Pathology,Smoking is thought to increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy by up to four times.The egg implants itself in the fallopian tube instead of the womb in 98% of cases. This can cause the tube to rupture and affect a woman's ability to conceive in future.

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