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Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2005;90:F276-FF277 doi:10.1136/adc.2004.061325
  • Short report

Prenatal exposure to arecoline (areca nut alkaloid) and birth outcomes

  1. O García-Algar1,
  2. O Vall1,
  3. F Alameda2,
  4. C Puig1,
  5. M Pellegrini3,
  6. R Pacifici3,
  7. S Pichini3
  1. 1Paediatric Service, Unitat de Recerca Infància i Entorn (URIE), Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain and Departament de Pediatria, Ginecologia i Obstetricia, i Medicina Preventiva, Universitat Autònoma, Barcelona, Spain
  2. 2Pathology Service, Hospital del Mar
  3. 3Drug Research and Evaluation Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr García-Algar
    Pediatric Service, Hospital del Mar, Paseo Marítimo 25–29, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; OGarciaAimas.imim.es
  • Accepted 13 October 2004

Abstract

The betel nut is commonly used as a drug by Asian populations. A high prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes has been reported in women who chewed betel quid during gestation. The hypothesis that chronic exposure of the fetus to arecoline (the principal alkaloid of the areca nut) is the cause was investigated in a clinical observational study on six newborns from Asian mothers who chewed betel nut during pregnancy.

Footnotes

  • This study was supported by “Area Progetto Droga” (Convenzione 513A/4) from Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.

  • Competing interests: none declared

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