E-cigarette use during pregnancy poses significant health risks to offspring into adulthood, researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) School of Medicine claim.
The study, published in the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology, was conducted using a rat model. Female pregnant rats were exposed to e-cigarette aerosols for 1 hour a day, 5 days a week, and their offspring were examined at 1 month, 3 months, and 7 months (rat adulthood) when it was reported that The adverse effects of vaping are established. The results of the study showed that the function of the main blood vessels in the brain (cerebrovascular function) decreased by 50% at 1 month of age and continued into adulthood. “These data suggest that maternal vaping during pregnancy is not harmless and carries significant cerebrovascular health risks/dysfunctions in offspring that persist into adult life,” the researchers report.
In 2015, managers of SSS (Stop Smoking Services) in the UK were surveyed to find out their views on the use of e-cigarettes by pregnant women who wish to quit smoking. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with a subsample of managers to gather explanations about their positions on the topic. The responses were analysed thematically.
After analyzing the pooled responses, the researchers found that 67.8% (72/106) of overall managers reported that 2.2% (range 1.4-4.3%) of their pregnant clients were using e-cigarettes.
Most SSS managers said they supported the use of e-cigarettes by pregnant women who had vaped prior to pregnancy. However, they added that they do not recommend vaping for those who still smoke and do not use e-cigarettes. A total of 8.3% of managers indicated that they would probably/very likely recommend vaping, while 56.9% of SSS were unlikely/very unlikely to recommend vaping.
Further interviews were conducted with 15 respondents who generally had a positive view of using e-cigarettes to quit smoking during pregnancy. However, concerns about the lack of safety evidence were raised and most expressed a desire for further research on the topic.
In November last year, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said financial incentives should be offered to pregnant women who are unable to quit smoking to help them achieve their goals, on how to deal with the significant health risks to offspring posed by e-cigarette use during pregnancy.
At any point of contact with the NHS, smokers should be offered an “opt-out cessation service”, the RCP said. In addition, the group said, given that most smokers typically come from “lower socioeconomic groups,” pregnant women should be given financial incentives to motivate them to achieve their goals.
The recommendations are made as part of a report prepared by the RCP, which sets out what can be done to achieve the government’s 2030 smoke-free target. Sadly, recent data suggest that the current target won’t actually be achieved until 2050.
“The ability of the UK and other countries to meet major public health challenges is unquestionable; the Covid-19 pandemic is by far the biggest new challenge to UK and global health in decades, attracting a public health and economic response that is unique in the modern era. ,” the report reads. “Yet in 2020, when Covid-19 killed around 80,000 UK citizens, smoking caused 94,000 deaths.”
In the UK, e-cigarettes remain by far the most popular smoking cessation aid, however, perceptions about vaping during pregnancy tend to vary. A local study aimed to measure the UK’s Smoking Cessation Service (SSS) general perception of smoking cessation in pregnant women.
Most SSS managers said they supported the use of e-cigarettes by pregnant women who had vaped prior to pregnancy. However, they added that they do not recommend vaping for those who still smoke and do not use e-cigarettes. A total of 8.3% of managers indicated that they would probably/very likely recommend vaping, while 56.9% of SSS were unlikely/very unlikely to recommend vaping.
Further interviews were conducted with 15 respondents who generally had a positive view of using e-cigarettes to quit smoking during pregnancy. However, concerns about the lack of safety evidence were raised and most expressed a desire for further research on the topic.