A preliminary report on the toxicity of arecoline on early pregnancy in mice.

Areca nut (Areca catechu) is chewed by roughly 10% of the world population, including India, Taiwan and parts of China. Lower mean birth-weight and higher neonatal jaundice were reported in the babies of betel chewing pregnant women in 1982. Although areca nut chewing during pregnancy has been associated with lower birth weight and premature delivery, the mechanism of such complications is not entirely understood.