An experimental study of the influences of tobacco smoke on fertility and reproduction.

1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicological influence of tobacco smoke on fertility and reproduction of Wistar female rats. The influence of tobacco smoke from the Polish 'Popularne' cigarette brand was studied. The experiment was conducted on three generations of animals, each generation having two litters. The initial number of animals of the parent generation F0 was 192 (128 females and 64 males). Animals were passively exposed to tobacco smoke in three different concentrations based on the content of carbon monoxide (500, 1000 and 1500 mg of CO per cubic meter of air). Animals were exposed to tobacco smoke for 6 h a day, 5 days a week, during 11 weeks. 2. The analysis of indices of mating and fertility revealed the decrease in those indices with animals exposed to tobacco smoke. We also observed an increased number of mothers breading among animals exposed to tobacco smoke. In animals exposed to tobacco smoke, the dose-effect or dose-response dependencies for mating, fertility and delivery indices were found. There was no influence of tobacco smoke on the duration of pregnancy. 3. Tobacco smoke inhalation caused increased levels of carboxyhaemoglobin. 4. Tobacco smoke did not change the duration of pregnancy in rats.