Myths And Truths Of Using Vaporizer During Pregnancy

While it may be challenging to break the habit, smoking traditional cigarettes while pregnant can limit oxygen supply to your baby, requiring their heart to work harder with each smoke. If you are considering switching to vaping during pregnancy or are uncertain about the safety of continuing vaping, Dr. Claudia Pastorelli Mosca, a Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Medical Advisor at Flo Health, can provide more insights.

Is it permissible to vape during pregnancy?

The use of e-cigarettes while pregnant could pose risks to both the mother and the baby. Emerging evidence suggests potential issues such as systemic inflammation, increased risk of premature birth, low birth weight, among others.

Given that vaping gained popularity in the 2000s, further research is required to fully understand the impact of e-cigarettes on pregnancy. According to ACOG, women should cease vaping immediately upon discovering they are pregnant.

Does vaping have negative effects on pregnancy?

As mentioned earlier, vaping can potentially harm pregnancy by causing systemic inflammation, low birth weight, and premature birth. The comprehensive risks associated with e-cigarettes during pregnancy are still under investigation.

There is substantial evidence indicating the harmful effects of nicotine on pregnancy, such as reduced placental blood flow and decreased oxygen and nutrient delivery to the baby, leading to various complications as mentioned above.

Even without nicotine, vaping aerosols may contain harmful compounds, the full extent of which remains unknown in terms of impact on pregnancy. Therefore, vaping may pose risks during pregnancy.

Could vaping lead to miscarriage?

The correlation between vaping and miscarriage is not entirely clear, and ongoing research is exploring this connection. However, the presence of nicotine in most e-cigarettes has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriages.

Should concerns arise about secondhand vapor exposure during pregnancy?

E-cigarette vapor contains chemicals also found in cigarette smoke but in lower concentrations, making it potentially safer than traditional secondhand smoke exposure. Nonetheless, the complete risk of such exposure is not yet fully understood.

Is vaping while breastfeeding advisable?

Using tobacco or e-cigarettes while breastfeeding can introduce harmful chemicals from the mother to the infant through breast milk or secondhand smoke exposure.

Maternal smoking poses risks to the child, including potential infections and respiratory conditions. Breastfeeding mothers using tobacco or e-cigarettes should aim to quit, avoiding smoking while breastfeeding.

Preventing secondhand smoke exposure to the child is crucial, by smoking outside away from the child, washing hands after smoking, and maintaining a smoke-free environment indoors.

Despite these concerns, it is important to highlight the numerous benefits of breastfeeding, as breast milk remains the recommended feeding method for infants, even if cessation of tobacco use is challenging.