Pregnant Women Who Vape Exposed to Fewer Toxins Than Smokers
Pregnant women who switch from smoking cigarettes to exclusively using vapes are exposed to significantly lower levels of certain toxic chemicals, according to new research led by scientists at City St George’s, University of London. The study, published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, is the first to rigorously compare exposure to harmful substances from smoking and vaping during pregnancy, providing crucial data as more pregnant women turn to e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.
Stopping smoking during pregnancy is a key public health priority for protecting both mother and baby. This study aimed to better understand the chemical exposure resulting from vaping in this specific population. Researchers recruited 140 pregnant women from five UK hospitals and divided them into five groups: exclusive smokers, exclusive vapers (who previously smoked), dual users (vaping and smoking), users of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) who also smoked, and a control group with no history of nicotine or tobacco use.
Urine samples were analyzed for levels of nicotine and 14 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are major risk factors for cancer, respiratory, and cardiovascular disease. The results showed that, compared to women who only smoked, those who exclusively vaped had significantly lower levels of 10 VOCs, with reductions ranging from 44% to 97%. The study also found that levels of 13 VOCs were similar between women who only vaped and those who had never used any nicotine or tobacco products.
Despite these findings, the study’s lead author, Professor Michael Ussher, emphasized caution. “Just because mothers-to-be are exposed to fewer harmful chemicals by opting to vape instead of smoking cigarettes, does not mean vaping during pregnancy is safe,” he stated. He highlighted that understanding chemical exposure is only part of the picture and that his team is now embarking on a new, rigorously designed study to examine if vaping during pregnancy has any harmful health outcomes for the mother or baby.
The researchers also noted important limitations. While they investigated the main known toxins, some toxin levels were similar between smoking and vaping, and there could be other harmful substances in vaping products that were not analyzed in this study. “Vaping products are constantly evolving, and so we need to keep an eye on any new toxins that we need to check for. It’s an ever-evolving field of research,” Professor Ussher added. The research was a collaboration between several prominent UK universities, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the UK Health Security Agency.
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