Mothers Who Vaped During Pregnancy?

Has anyone ever vaped while pregnant

Is vaping during pregnancy OK? – Using electronic cigarettes (vaping) during pregnancy isn’t safe. Most electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) contain nicotine, which permanently damages a baby’s developing brain and many other organs. E-cigarette liquids also contain chemicals, flavors and other additives that might not be safe for your baby.

1. It’s well known that smoking cigarettes during pregnancy can harm women and their babies.
2. But research suggests that pregnant women who vape believe that using e-cigarettes is less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
3. Pregnant women often don’t know if their e-cigarettes contain nicotine.
4. Some also might use e-cigarettes during pregnancy because of the perception that the devices can help them quit or reduce cigarette smoking.

While use of e-cigarettes might expose a growing baby to fewer toxins compared with those from regular cigarette use, nicotine exposure of any kind is harmful to a baby. If you’re pregnant and you smoke or vape, quitting is the best way to give your baby a healthy start.

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March 24, 2023

1. Kapaya M, et al. Use of electronic vapor products before, during, and after pregnancy among women with a recent live birth — Oklahoma and Texas, 2015. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.2019; doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6808a1.
2. Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ170. Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Tobacco-Alcohol-Drugs-and-Pregnancy. Accessed March 18, 2021.
3. Whittington JR, et al. The use of electronic cigarettes in pregnancy: A review of the literature. Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey.2018; doi: 10.1097/OGX.0000000000000595.
4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Obstetric Practice. Committee Opinion No.807. Tobacco and nicotine cessation during pregnancy.2020; doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003822.
5. E-cigarettes and pregnancy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/substance-abuse/e-cigarettes-pregnancy.htm. Accessed March 18, 2021.

See more Expert Answers,

What happens if a mother Vapes while pregnant?

What are e-cigarettes? – Electronic cigarettes (also called electronic nicotine delivery systems or e-cigarettes) come in different sizes and shapes, including pens, mods, (i.e., these types are modified by the user) and tanks. Most e-cigarettes contain a battery, a heating device, and a cartridge to hold liquid. The liquid typically contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. The battery-powered device heats the liquid in the cartridge into an aerosol that the user inhales. Although the aerosol of e-cigarettes generally has fewer harmful substances than cigarette smoke, e-cigarettes and other products containing nicotine are not safe to use during pregnancy. Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant women and developing babies and can damage a developing baby’s brain and lungs. Also, some of the flavorings used in e-cigarettes may be harmful to a developing baby. There is not enough evidence to know whether or not e-cigarettes help people to quit smoking. Individual, group, and telephone counseling have been found to be effective in helping people to quit. If you are pregnant and haven’t been able to quit smoking on your own or with counseling, you can discuss the risks and benefits of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications with your health care provider. After your baby is born, you will have more options for FDA-approved quit-smoking medications. E-cigarettes are not approved by the FDA to help people quit smoking. It’s important to know that nicotine is poisonous, and parents and caregivers should keep all products containing nicotine, including e-cigarettes and stop-smoking medications, out of the reach of children. Quitting smoking can be hard, but it can help protect you and your baby from health problems. Quitting early or before pregnancy is the best, but it’s never too late to quit smoking. For FREE support, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). Quitline coaches can answer questions, help you develop a quit plan, and provide support. For tips and advice to quit smoking, you can also visit and, : E-Cigarettes and Pregnancy

Is nicotine free vaping safe during pregnancy

Is Vaping During Pregnancy Safe? – Many women will begin vaping or using vaping devices, e-cigarettes or other forms to replace their habit of cigarette smoking in hopes that it will be a better alternative, or help them “kick” their nicotine habit while they are pregnant, keeping their baby safe.

1. What they don’t know is, that vaping can be just as harmful as cigarette smoking, due to the unknown chemicals that may be in the device that they are using.
2. Also, there is no way to know how much of any given chemical is being used at one time.
3. Vaping, with or without nicotine can be harmful to an unborn fetus and could potentially harm the mother with the chemicals that are being used in the vaping device.

It would be better to not use it at all.

Is vaping harmful to babies?

The chemicals in vaping are not safe for babies or kids – The chemicals found in vape “smoke” are different from those found in cigarette smoke. “E-cigarettes commonly contain propylene glycol and glycerol. These substances can decompose to form formaldehyde and acetaldehyde which are known carcinogens,” says Dr.

Ambler. “They can also contain metals such as lead, nickel, and arsenic, which are known to be harmful to the human body.” And while many love the flavors that vaping offers, the added flavorings may also do major damage. “There are more than 7,000 different flavorings available in e-cigarettes (including fruit and soda flavorings), and the effect of inhaled flavorings on lung function is largely unknown, with some studies showing a link between these flavorings and increased lung irritation,” says Dr.

Ambler.

What is the best way to quit vaping while pregnant?

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) – NRT is one of the safest methods to help you quit smoking during pregnancy. Nicotine is highly addictive and is what causes strong cravings to smoke while you are in the process of quitting. Absorbing small amounts of nicotine through NRT can help to curb your cravings. NRT comes in a variety of different forms, including:

Patches Nicotine chewing gum Tablets, strips and lozenges Inhalators

You access NRT in pharmacies, shops and through a prescription from your GP or your local stop smoking service. NRT can also be used by breastfeeding women – you should seek advice from your GP or stop smoking advisor.

Can you hit a vape one time while pregnant?

Myth 1: Vaping is a safe alternative to cigarettes. – This is one of the most widely spread myths about vaping, and it’s not pregnancy exclusive. Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a warning letter to a prominent vaping products company, saying it had violated federal regulations because it did not receive agency approval to as a healthier alternative to cigarettes.

In the, the FDA stated the company made unsubstantiated claims, including that its products are “99% safer” than cigarettes or “a safer alternative than smoking cigarettes.” What’s more, the FDA alleges these comments were made in a presentation to students, furthering the notion that ENDS companies are providing misinformation to younger consumers.

Vaping during pregnancy has deeper implications. In utero exposure to nicotine, which is found in, is known to by causing abnormal lung, heart, brain, and immune system development, which carries lifelong consequences. A in Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey showed that nicotine consumption among ENDS users is similar to that of smokers.

Lead and other heavy metalsBenzene, which is found in car exhaustDiacetyl, which is linked to lung disease

The packaging and flavors of vaping products make them seem innocuous, but they are not. ENDS products lack the large Surgeon General’s warnings present on cigarette packs. Some bear small labels that indicate the product contains nicotine, but they don’t have the government warnings required on cigarettes.

When did smoking become bad during pregnancy?

Abstract – Objective This study investigated the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and ratings of offspring’s temperament, behavior, and academic performance at various developmental periods in childhood. Methods Multivariate analyses of a birth cohort examined the outcomes for children on measures of temperament, behavior, and academic performance in infancy (6 months), at age 5, and at age 12.

Results When controlling for maternal psychiatric hospitalization, psychological distress during pregnancy, hospitalization for accidents, socioeconomic status, age, and symptoms of upper respiratory infection and nausea, a range of associations between maternal smoking and child outcomes were observed at different ages studied.

Conclusion Despite widespread warning regarding smoking cessation during pregnancy, the literature base on the longer-term effects beyond the neonatal and infant period is less available. This is one of the first studies to investigate the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and child outcomes at several stages of development.

The results provide evidence for the lasting effects of smoking during pregnancy on the development of the child. Received September 19, 2004; revision received January 5, 2005, March 18, 2005, and May 27, 2005; accepted June 7, 2005 The relationship between cigarette smoking and the health and behavior of the smoker has been the subject of intense interest for decades ( American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Environmental Health, 1997; Centers for Disease Control, 1993; Doll, 1995; Fielding, 1987; Slama, 1995).

However, it was not until the 1980s that reports of the harmful effects of cigarette smoking during pregnancy began to proliferate. It has now been firmly established that pregnancies among women who smoke are marked by increased risk for a number of adverse prenatal and perinatal outcomes including spontaneous abortion, placenta previa, and obstetric complications ( Adams, 2003; Dombrowski, Martin, & Huttunen, 2005; Magee, Hattis, & Kivel, 2004; Ojima, Uehara, Watanabe, Tajimi, Oki, & Nakamura, 2004).

Additional research provides evidence that women who smoke during pregnancy have babies who are born prematurely with greater frequency and with lower birth weights than women who do not smoke ( Floyd, Rimer, Giovino, Mullen, & Sullivan, 1993; Ojima et al., 2004). It is generally understood that smoking during pregnancy has deleterious effects on the developing fetus, although the quantity of research on smoking during pregnancy is far less than that on alcohol and other drugs such as cocaine ( Behnke & Eyler, 1993; Nugent, Lester, Greene, Wieczorek-Deering, & O’Mahony, 1996).

The most firmly established link between maternal smoking during pregnancy and child outcomes is the association with low birth weight. Since the 1950s, epidemiological studies have consistently shown that mothers who smoke during pregnancy have children born 150–250 g lighter than nonsmoking controls ( Floyd et al., 1993; Hardy & Mellitis, 1972; Magee et al., 2004).

Furthermore, smoking doubles the risk of having an infant born weighing less than 2,500 g ( United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1980). These lower birth weights are observable at all gestational ages and are thought to result from intrauterine growth retardation caused by gestational smoke exposure ( Floyd et al., 1993).

Recent research also has found an association in infancy with increased colic ( Shenassa & Brown, 2004), delayed gross and fine motor coordination ( Fried, Watkinson, Dillon, & Dulberg, 1987), increased activity level ( Batstra, Hadders-Algra, & Neeleman, 2003), and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) ( Sundell, 2004).

• The literature on the longer-term effects beyond the fetal, neonatal, and infant period is less well developed.
• There is some evidence that children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are at higher risk of cognitive, academic, and auditory processing deficits ( Bauman, Flewelling, & LaPrelle, 1991; Butler & Goldstein, 1973; Fogelman & Manor, 1988; Fried & Watkinson, 1988; Fried & Watkinson, 1990; Fried, Watkinson, & Gray, 2003; McCartney & Fried, 1993; McCartney, Fried, & Watkinson, 1994; Olds, Henderson, & Tatalbaum, 1994; Sexton, Fox, & Hebel, 1990).

There also is evidence that children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are at higher risk for behavioral and psychological problems such as hyperactive behavior, conduct disorder, and antisocial disorder ( Denson, Nanson, & McWatters, 1975; Fergusson, Horwood, & Lynskey, 1993; Fergusson, Woodward, & Horwood, 1998; Fried, Watkinson, & Gray, 1992; Kristjansson, Fried, & Watkinson, 1989; Milberger, Bieberman, Farone, Chen, & Jones, 1996; Naeye & Peters, 1984; Rantakallio & Koiranen, 1987; Sexton et al., 1990; Silberg, Parr, Neale, Rutter, Angold, & Eaves, 2003; Streissguth et al., 1984; Wakschlag et al., 1997).

Of these behaviors, the association with increased activity level has been the most frequently studied ( Denson et al., 1975; Fergusson et al., 1993; Fried et al., 1992; Milberger et al., 1996; Naeye & Peters, 1984; Streissguth et al., 1984). In addition, other researchers have examined the relationship with children’s externalizing problems.

Fergusson et al. (1993) and Fergusson et al. (1998) report persistent dose–response relationships with mothers who smoked the greatest amount during pregnancy having children with significantly higher behavior problems than those who did not smoke. Wakschlag et al.

• 1997) also reported an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and conduct disorder among boys.
• However, recent studies by Maughan et al.
• 2004) and Silberg et al.
• 2003) suggest that the association with conduct disorder may be specious.
• These researchers indicate that the association may be better accounted for by such genetic and environmental factors as biological parents’ own antisocial behavior, maternal depression, and exposure to a disadvantaged family environment.

With limited exception, very few studies have examined outcomes beyond infancy. Even fewer have investigated outcomes at more than one developmental period. Attempts to understand the effects of cigarette smoke on child development are hampered by at least two sets of problems.

• First, researchers studying the teratogenic effects of cigarette smoke at the physiological level are faced with a substance that is very complex.
• A cigarette is estimated to contain 3,000–4,000 compounds and the impact of only a small subset of these compounds has been researched ( Hoffmann, Djordjevic, & Hoffmann, 2003).

It is now recognized that cigarettes contain many chemical compounds and that a significant proportion of these compounds cross the placental barrier ( Jones et al., 1989). Some of the chemicals are known to have toxic effects if consumed in sufficient amounts including lead, cadmium, carbon monoxide, arsenic, cyanide, and nicotine ( Stevens, Becker, Krumpos, Lanz, & Tolan, 1988).

Second, researchers studying the long-term effect of cigarette smoking have found that cigarette smoking does not have a singular effect, but is associated with a variety of social and psychological characteristics that put parents and their children at increased risk of some of the same behaviors that are attributed to exposure to cigarette smoke ( Graham, 1995; Isohanni et al., 1995).

For instance, mothers who smoke during pregnancy are often more impulsive, experience greater psychological distress, and are younger than their nonsmoking pregnant counterparts ( Adams, 2003; Cherry & Kiernan, 1976; Rantakallio, 1979). As a result of these factors, experts still disagree about the effects of exposure to cigarette smoking on the development of the child.

Part of that reason may be related to the fact that very few studies had the capacity to investigate the adverse impact at more than one developmental period while controlling for at least some of the myriad of confounding social and psychological characteristics noted above. The primary purpose of this article is to report the results of a research effort designed to augment the understanding of long-term effects of maternal smoking on child temperament, behavior, and academic outcomes.

This study investigates the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and temperamental, behavioral, and educational outcomes in offspring at various stages of development: infancy, age 5, and age 12.

Is vape worse than a cigarette?

About Electronic Cigarettes (E-cigarettes)

• E-cigarettes have the potential to benefit adults who smoke and who are not pregnant if used as a complete substitute for regular cigarettes and other smoked tobacco products.
• E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant adults, as well as adults who do not currently use tobacco products.
• While e-cigarettes have the potential to benefit some people and harm others, scientists still have a lot to learn about whether e-cigarettes are effective in helping adults quit smoking.
• If you’ve never smoked or used other tobacco products or e-cigarettes, don’t start.
• Additional research can help understand long-term health effects.

E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, and pregnant women, as well as adults who do not currently use tobacco products.

• E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid.
• E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine—the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products—flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.
• E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”
• Some e-cigarettes are made to look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens, USB sticks, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not resemble other tobacco products.
• Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping.”
• E-cigarettes can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

Some e-cigarettes are made to look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens, USB sticks, and other everyday items. The e-cigarette aerosol that users breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including:

• Nicotine
• Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
• Flavoring such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease
• Volatile organic compounds
• Cancer-causing chemicals
• Heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead

It is difficult for consumers to know what e-cigarette products contain. For example, some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine. What is in e-cigarette aerosol? E-cigarettes are still fairly new, and scientists are still learning about their long-term health effects. Here is what we know now. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which has known health effects.

• Nicotine is highly addictive.
• Nicotine is toxic to developing fetuses.
• Nicotine can harm adolescent and young adult brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
• Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant adults and their developing babies.

Besides nicotine, e-cigarette aerosol can contain substances that harm the body.

This includes cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles that reach deep into lungs. However, e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than smoke from burned tobacco products.

E-cigarettes can cause unintended injuries.

• Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions, some of which have resulted in serious injuries. Most explosions happened when the e-cigarette batteries were being charged.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collects data to help address this issue. You can report an e-cigarette explosion, or any other unexpected health or safety issue with an e-cigarette,,
• In addition, acute nicotine exposure can be toxic. Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes.

E-cigarettes are still fairly new, and scientists are still learning about their long-term health effects. Here is what we know now. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which has known health effects.

• Nicotine is highly addictive.
• Nicotine is toxic to developing fetuses.
• Nicotine can harm adolescent and young adult brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
• Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant adults and their developing babies.

Besides nicotine, e-cigarette aerosol can contain substances that harm the body.

This includes cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles that reach deep into lungs. However, e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than smoke from burned tobacco products.

E-cigarettes can cause unintended injuries.

• Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions, some of which have resulted in serious injuries. Most explosions happened when the e-cigarette batteries were being charged.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collects data to help address this issue. You can report an e-cigarette explosion, or any other unexpected health or safety issue with an e-cigarette,,
• In addition, acute nicotine exposure can be toxic. Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive and toxic to developing fetuses. Nicotine exposure can also harm adolescent and young adult brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s. E-cigarette aerosol can contain chemicals that are harmful to the lungs. Yes—but that doesn’t mean e-cigarettes are safe. E-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer toxic chemicals than the, However, e-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including nicotine, heavy metals like lead, volatile organic compounds, and cancer-causing agents. E-cigarettes are not currently approved by the FDA as a quit smoking aid. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group of health experts that makes recommendations about preventive health care, has that evidence is insufficient to recommend e-cigarettes for smoking cessation in adults, including pregnant adults.3 However, e-cigarettes may help non-pregnant adults who smoke if used as a complete substitute for all cigarettes and other smoked tobacco products.

• To date, the few studies on the issue are mixed. A found evidence from two randomized controlled trials that e-cigarettes with nicotine can help adults who smoke stop smoking in the long term compared with placebo (non-nicotine) e-cigarettes.4 However, there are some limitations to the existing research, including the small number of trials, small sample sizes, and wide margins of error around the estimates.
• A recent found that many adults are using e-cigarettes in an attempt to quit smoking.5 However, most adult e-cigarette users do not stop smoking cigarettes and are instead continuing to use both products (known as “dual use”).7 is not an effective way to safeguard your health, whether you’re using e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or other tobacco products in addition to regular cigarettes. Because smoking even a few cigarettes a day can be dangerous, 6 quitting smoking completely is very important to protect your health.

E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth.

• In 2022, 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, including 3.3% of middle school students and 14.1% of high school students.9
• In 2021, 4.5% of U.S. adults currently used e-cigarettes.10
• In 2019, among adults who currently used e-cigarettes overall, 36.9% also currently smoked cigarettes, 39.5% formerly smoked cigarettes, and 23.6% had never smoked cigarettes.11
• Among adults who currently used e-cigarettes, the percentage who have never smoked cigarettes is highest among those aged 18–24 years (56.0%), and is lower in older age groups.11

1. US Department of Health and Human Services., Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2016.
2. Goniewicz ML, Gupta R, Lee YH, et al. Nicotine levels in electronic cigarette refill solutions: a comparative analysis of products from the U.S., Korea, and Poland. Int J Drug Policy.2015;26(6):583–588.
3. Patnode CP, Henderson JT, Thompson JH, Senger CA, Fortmann SP, Whitlock EP. Behavioral Counseling and Pharmacotherapy Interventions for Tobacco Cessation in Adults, Including Pregnant Women: A Review of Reviews for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Evidence Synthesis No.134. AHRQ Publication No.14-05200-EF-1. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2015.
4. Hartmann-Boyce J, McRobbie H, Bullen C, Begh R, Stead LF, Hajek P. Published 13 September 2016.
5. Caraballo RS, Shafer PR, Patel D, Davis KC, McAfee TA., Prev Chronic Dis 2017; 14:160600.
6. Bjartveit K, Tverdal A. Health Consequences of Smoking 1-4 Cigarettes Per Day. Tobacco Control 2005;14(5):315–20.
7. . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2016;65:1177.
8. Park-Lee E, Ren C, Sawdey M, et al., Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2021; 70:1387–9.
9. Park Lee E, Ren C, Cooper M, Cornelius M, Jamal A, Cullen KA., Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2022; 71:45.
10. Cornelius ME, Loretan CG, Jamal A, et al., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:475–483.
11. Cornelius ME, Wang TW, Jamal A, Loretan C, Neff L. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2020. Volume 69(issue 46); pages 1736–1742.,