The details of a new study appeared on the 1st August on the Medical Express Website titled “E-cigarettes may be better than nicotine patches to help pregnant women stop smoking, reduce the risk of low birthweight“.
When I first read it the links to the actual study did not work. However today the study has been released.
The research was led by the Queen Mary University of London and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
You can read the details and view the full report here on the NIHR website.
Study Details
A total of 1140 pregnant daily smokers were recruited to take part who had the motivation to stop smoking. None of the participants had a preference for either NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) or vaping to help them quit the ciggies.
Participants were recruited from 23 hospitals across England and through a Stop Smoking service in Scotland.
571 of the total were to try vaping and were posted a refillable e-cigarette with two 10ml bottles of tobacco flavoured e-liquid at 18mg nicotine strength.
569 in the NRT group were posted a 2 week supply of 15mg/16 hour nicotine patches.
All were given supplies for up to 8 weeks.
Support calls were provided for participants on their target quit date plus further calls prior to this and weekly for 4 weeks after quitting.
Results
55% of the self-reported smoking abstainers mailed back useable saliva samples. Sadly this did decrease the overall success rate.
Of those who did comply it was found 6.8% of the vapers and 4.4% of those using the NRT patches were validated as being abstinent from smoking.
At the end of pregnancy 33.8% were still using their vapes and 5.6% were still using the NRT. Also it was found 17% of those on the NRT were also using vapes, whereas only 2.8% of the vapers also used NRT.
It was found those in the e-cigarette group had fewer instances of low birthweights (babies who weigh less than 2.5kg) at 9.6% compared with the NRT result of 14.8%.
Conclusion
In the Health care implications section they say…
“Although nicotine in late pregnancy may not have any detrimental effects on pregnancy outcomes, given the question marks regarding possible effects of continuing nicotine use on quality of life, health outcomes and risk of relapse, stopping smoking without nicotine-containing aids is preferable to switching to such products. However, where the choice is between using nicotine products such as NRT or EC (E-cigarette), or continuing to smoke, nicotine product use would be the recommended option. Specialist SSS’s (Stop Smoking Services) should include EC starter packs among the treatment options offered to pregnant smokers. Such an offer is likely to reach more smokers and generate better smoking reduction at lower cost than the offer of NP’s (Nicotine Patches).”
The study states the following as their conclusion…
“E-cigarettes were not significantly more effective than nicotine patches in the primary analysis, but when e-cigarettes use in the nicotine patches arm was accounted for, e-cigarettes were almost twice as effective as patches in all abstinence outcomes. In pregnant smokers seeking help, compared to nicotine patches, e-cigarettes are probably more effective, do not pose more risks to birth outcomes assessed in this study and may reduce the incidence of low birthweight.”
Related Tweets
E-cigarettes may be better than nicotine patches to help pregnant women stop smoking, reduce the risk of low birthweight https://t.co/pWKtc9ze7u
— NCSCT (@NCSCT) August 1, 2023
E-cigarettes may be better than nicotine patches to help pregnant women stop smoking, reduce the risk of low birthweight https://t.co/zN0oUvfdVI
— Louise (@grannylouisa) August 1, 2023
E-cigarettes may be better than nicotine patches to help pregnant women stop smoking, reduce the risk of low birthweight https://t.co/DMICB5lNXW
— Alex Wodak AM #Vote YES (@AlexWodak) August 1, 2023
👉 “When the researchers looked at successful quitters who only used the treatment they were allocated, they found that almost twice as many women had quit (smoking) with e-cigarettes as with nicotine patches.”https://t.co/kYwSr3r4ub
— IEVA (@europeanvaping) August 1, 2023
Half received e-cigs; the other half received patches. “Both approaches were equally safe.” Fewer women in the e-cig group had children with low birthweight.
Some assigned the patch actually switched to vaping on their own to successfully quit smoking!https://t.co/KaGNHcJyRF
— CASAA (@CASAAmedia) August 1, 2023
Evidence VAPING nicotine more EFFECTIVE helping PREGNANT women who smoke to stop than patches; both methods “equally safe”. Robust trustworthy researchers; randomised controlled trial. Supports UK & NZ current🤰🏻cessation guidelines: if can’t quit, try #vaping. https://t.co/bRGOfoVGpu
— Dr Marewa Glover (@MarewaGlover) August 1, 2023
Taxi for the @WHO! “Some women had quit smoking using a product they were not assigned, mostly women given patches, who stopped with the help of e-cigarettes they had procured for themselves.” #Awkward https://t.co/lkBiaOnQPb
— Martin C (@NannyFreeState) August 2, 2023
When the researchers looked at successful quitters who only used the treatment they were allocated, they found that almost twice as many women had quit with e-cigarettes as with nicotine patches.https://t.co/onDNWyzm3G
— ASH (@AshOrgUK) August 2, 2023
E-cigarettes (#vapes) may be more effective than nicotine patches for pregnant women trying to quit smoking, research led by @QMUL and funded by the @NIHR has found. https://t.co/KSH19VwWe4
— Barts and The London, Queen Mary (@QMULBartsTheLon) August 2, 2023
