Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Lead: Safety of e-cigarettes and nicotine patches as stop-smoking aids in pregnancy
Lead Story:
Addiction
It is not clear to what extent nicotine is responsible for adverse outcomes of smoking during pregnancy. This study examined outcomes of e-cigarette (EC) and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) use in pregnancy. Pregnant smokers were randomly assigned to EC or NRT. ECs were more than twice as likely to be used regularly compared to NRT. Those abstaining from cigarettes had higher birth weights (3.3 Kg) than smokers (3.1 Kg), and the use of EC or NRT did not affect birth weight in abstainers. In the entire group (abstainers and smokers), use of EC and/or NRT was not associated with an increase in adverse events. Those using EC had less cough and phlegm than those using NRT. Other studies have confirmed the same, possibly resulting from antibacterial effects of additives to the EC liquid. The authors found no risks to pregnancy from EC or NRT use.
Read this issue of the ASAM Weekly