*This blog post is not a substitute for medical care. Always consult your Doctor for medical advice.
Carly leaned her back up against the brick wall, placing her hand over her swollen stomach she sighed deeply. She watched squirrels chase each other up a tree, the smoke from Maggie’s cigarette swirling around them. Maggie laughed and ashed on the ground.
“So glad we’re having nicer weather and getting smoke breaks,” Maggie mused as Carly looked at the vape in her hand and took a long inhale, held it and exhaled. The scent of sweetness filled the air.
“Ooh, what is that pod?”
“Mint chocolate chip girl scout cookie,” Carly said, stretching her back and rolling her swollen ankles. ”I figured if I had to switch from cigarettes to vaping while pregnant it better be worth it.”
“Right! So vaping is safer than smoking? Man, I wish that I had that around with my two. My doctor made me quit cold turkey for my boys.”
Carly smiled and shrugged, “Yeah, I couldn’t imagine quitting, so this is better I guess.”
“But is it better?”, a kind voice asked from the doorway. Brenda leaned out and watched Carly take another slow drag. “Are you really sure it’s better? I mean I thought cigarettes and e-cigarettes were the same…since they literally are both cigarettes. You’re braver than me. I wouldn’t want to risk it.”
Later back at her desk, Carly couldn’t get Brenda’s words out of her mind. She rubbed her belly and felt the flutter of life, “I wonder if Brenda’s right? Is vaping really ok for my baby?”
Is vaping while pregnant safe?
Many pregnant women think using electronic cigarettes will not cause any harm to their unborn child. Unfortunately, there has not been enough scientific studies that show definitively how vaping can affect a pregnant woman or the baby she is carrying.
Women who vape while pregnant are taking a major risk that can have life-altering consequences for them and their baby. There have been studies done that show how harmful vaping is to the non-pregnant person. In fact, vaping is just as harmful to the average person as smoking a traditional cigarette. According to the CDC, the other chemicals in the aerosol, including nicotine, can cause a myriad of problems for the vaper. The idea that vaping is safer than smoking, is simply not based in fact. You can read the study from the CDC here.
Is vaping regulated?
“Vaping” is also called vapes, electronic cigarettes, tank systems, hookahs nic stick, wop machine and stig. These are some of the different names for the battery-operated device used when “smoking”. Unlike a cigarette, these devices heat up a liquid solution that is then converted into a vapor or fine mist in aerosol form.
Demand for e-cigarettes has exploded, and unfortunately, e-cigarette products are not well regulated. CDC research found that 99% of e-cigarettes sold contain nicotine, including vape liquids that were advertised as containing 0% nicotine. Scientific studies have proven that nicotine not only harms a baby’s brain’s development while in the womb, but can has negatively affect their future, their ability to concentrate and focus which has an impact on how well they are able to learn. It can also affect their moods and willpower, a willingness to stick with tasks that may be challenging.
For many, nicotine addiction can actually be a source of stress and increases the risk for future addictions to other illegal substances. Often those who vape are completely unaware of any harmful chemicals and other contaminants that they may be inhaling. Because of this inability to regulate, companies that sell e-cigarette products have touted vaping as an alternative to smoking and claims to be much safer. Physicians have also used electronic cigarettes to help aid patients to stop smoking and doctors have even recommended it in pregnancy, as in Carly’s case. The problem is that if you cannot know what or how many harmful chemicals you are inhaling, how can vaping really be a safe alternative? The answer again is, it’s not.
What about those harmful chemicals, such as nicotine?
Nicotine and the other contaminants found in traditional cigarettes have been studied extensively and proven to be harmful to a pregnant mother and her baby. It is well known that nicotine puts the mother at risk for miscarriage, can cause certain birth defects as well as poor development and growth of the baby. Nicotine and the other chemicals in traditional cigarettes have also been linked with learning disabilities and ADHD in children as they mature. Science has proven that traditional cigarette smoking is bad for you! It can cause cancer and it can clearly harm you and your baby. Electronic cigarettes may deliver the chemicals in a different package, but ultimately, they carry the same risks as cigarettes, since they contain the same contaminants which produce the same consequences as smoking cigarettes.
Why risk vaping while pregnant?
As Brenda asked, “So, if you know they both have nicotine why risk it when the outcome could be bad?” You might have tried vaping to deal with stress or anxiety, but your body becomes dependent because the chemicals in vaping devices and traditional cigarettes that are addictive. It doesn’t take long for your body to rely on and crave these “fixes”. Quitting cold turkey can be really hard. The process can sometimes be long, frustrating, and painful. You might feel anxious or depressed, have trouble sleeping or concentrating, and feel irritable or restless.
Thankfully there are organizations and counselors who are trained and prepared to help and support mothers during their pregnancy. 1-800-QUIT-NOW is an excellent resource and will help you develop and implement a plan to quit.
Talk to your doctor and discuss ways to quit so that you can have a healthy pregnancy for you and your baby. If you’re unable to quit while pregnant, make sure to speak with your doctor postpartum (after your baby is born), as studies have shown that nicotine is transferred through breastmilk, which can have serious, negative effects on your baby’s development.
You CAN quit.
Is vaping while pregnant safer than traditional cigarettes? The truth of the matter is, no. There isn’t any evidence that conclusively shows what the actual risks are related to electronic cigarettes. But studies have shown that traditional cigarettes and nicotine are not good during pregnancy and can be detrimental to you and your baby.
Long before you hold that precious baby in your arms, you’re a mom. Your instincts to love, care for, and protect your baby are already in place. Vaping has been promoted as “safer” and so attractive with all the fancy names and flavored pods. It seems so harmless, when it isn’t.
Making the choice to quit, for the sake of your health and your baby’s, is a hard and brave decision. You CAN quit! Reach out for help. Make a plan. Surround yourself with friends who can encourage and support you in your decision. Choosing to quit now is one of the most courageous things you could do for your baby.
Carly’s head was spinning with doubts. She looked at her vape pen and felt her baby kick, “Nope” she thought as she tossed it in the trash. She called her doctor and made an appointment to discuss steps about her quitting.
“I am not going to risk it. He’s too important”, she said to Brenda and Maggie.
And they agreed.
Vaping and Pregnancy by Maya Desai, Journey Works publishing 2018
Mothers to Baby Fact Sheet by Organization of Teratology Information Specialist (OTIS) www.mothertobaby.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC E-cigarettes
https://www.cdc.gov/statesystem/ecigarette.html
4 Myths About Pregnancy and Vaping-Busted/ Robyn Horsager-Boehrer, MD
www.utswmed.org/