Can you vape nicotine or cannabis during pregnancy? Safe or bad?

Smoking during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby and increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, etc.

How about vaporizing nicotine or cannabis? Vaping is becoming increasingly popular and is being promoted as a safe alternative to smoking.

Many women start vaping to replace or quit smoking, hoping that it will be a better alternative during pregnancy and ensure the safety of their baby.

Is this true? Is it really safe? Are there any potential risks associated with vaping during pregnancy?

Don't worry! In this article, we'll explain everything you need to know about vaping during pregnancy.

What are e-cigarettes or vapes?

Electronic cigarettes are small, battery-operated devices that heat a liquid into vapor that is inhaled. The use of e-cigarettes is usually referred to as “vaping.”

E-cigarettes often look like a cigarette or cigar, but can also look like pens, flashlights, USB memory sticks, or other ordinary objects.

You may have heard them by many different names, such as “e-cigarettes,” “e-shishas,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”

E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine, the addictive substance in traditional cigarettes, but they can also be used to administer cannabis flowers or oils.

Is it safe to vape nicotine during pregnancy?

It is not safe but harmful to vape nicotine during pregnancy. Vaping can have negative effects on the mother and fetus.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, an addictive drug that can harm a baby's developing brain, lungs and other organs. They also contain chemicals, flavorings and other additives that can have negative health effects.

When you vape, these chemicals in e-liquids enter your body. Since you and your baby share the same bloodstream, harmful chemicals in your system are passed to your baby through the placenta and umbilical cord.

There is evidence that e-cigarette use during pregnancy may harm maternal and fetal health and cause adverse effects, including increased systemic inflammation, low birth weight, premature birth, and small size for gestational age.

However, research remains limited and there are large gaps in knowledge regarding the effects of e-cigarette use on maternal and fetal health and on the course of childbirth.

Therefore, quitting or not vaping during pregnancy is by far the best and safest way for an expectant mother to protect and improve her current and future health as well as that of her baby.

Can I vape marijuana (THC) while pregnant?

THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, acts on a receptor in the brain that is already present by the 14th week of pregnancy – the end of the first trimester. It crosses the placenta and reaches the developing fetus.

Fetuses are exposed to about 10 percent of the THC that the mother ingests, whether through eating edibles, smoking or vaping.

In addition, because THC is highly fat-soluble, it is stored in maternal fat for weeks, increasing the burden on the developing fetus long after actual consumption.

Studies have linked marijuana use during pregnancy to possible neurological impairments. Children exposed to marijuana during pregnancy generally showed greater language and cognitive difficulties, lower math and spelling scores, and more frequent concentration and attention problems.

THC is also associated with lower birth weight and weaker muscle tone and tremors in newborns.

Although these initial studies and their results are inconclusive, more recent research is so discouraging that the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends against the use of marijuana during pregnancy.

Since THC can be present in breast milk, the American Academy of Pediatrics also advises against the use of marijuana during breastfeeding.

What are the ingredients of e-cigarettes? Side effects and dangers during pregnancy

The vapor from an e-cigarette is not harmless water vapor, but contains harmful chemicals.

E-liquids used in e-cigarettes typically contain nicotine, water and either propylene glycol or glycerin, as well as flavors.

In addition, other chemicals are created when the e-liquid is heated at high voltage.

1. Nicotine

E-cigarettes even contain a higher nicotine content than conventional cigarettes.

Like caffeine, nicotine is a stimulant and can stimulate the circulation, leading to an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and high blood pressure.

Nicotine is a developmental toxin that can negatively affect pregnancy and the health of the infant. It can damage the development of the baby's brain and lungs.

Nicotine constricts your blood vessels, reducing the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach your baby across the placenta.

2. Flavors

There are thousands of flavors, all with different additives and chemicals, such as diacetyl and licorice.

High exposure to diacetyl can lead to the serious, irreversible lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn lung.”

The licorice plant is associated with bloating and water retention that occur during pregnancy.

In addition, the chemical flavorings in e-cigarettes may have a more toxic effect on embryonic cells than on adult cells, meaning a developing fetus may be more vulnerable to harm.

3. Propylene glycol (PG)

Propylene glycol is a colorless, odorless, thick liquid. It is an ingredient in antifreeze and has been shown to irritate the lungs and eyes and cause problems for people with asthma and emphysema.

Propylene glycol is not safe for infants and pregnant women because they are less able to break down the ingredient.

4. Glycerine

Glycerin is colorless and odorless, but tastes like candy. This is probably safe for you and your baby.

5. Other pollutants in the vapor of e-cigarettes

Ultrafine particles: These can be inhaled deep into the lungs and worsen conditions such as asthma and emphysema and lead to a heart attack.

Volatile organic compounds: These are created as a byproduct when the steam is heated and can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches and nausea, as well as damage to the liver, kidneys and nervous system.

Carcinogenic toxins: The aerosol (“vapor”) of an e-cigarette contains some carcinogenic chemicals such as nitrosamines, propylene oxide, formaldehyde (MS, SS), etc., but in much lower amounts than cigarette smoke.

Traces of heavy metals: These substances have been proven to cause respiratory distress and illness and contain nickel, tin and lead.

In addition to the chemicals listed above, there are other chemicals used that may not even be listed due to lack of information from the manufacturer.

Is there a health risk from passive steam during pregnancy?

Vapor from e-cigarettes, which contains nicotine and other chemicals, is not safe during pregnancy.

When vaping, e-cigarette users exhale vapor. If someone vapes nearby, you can inhale these harmful chemicals.

In addition, secondhand smoke leaves behind toxic thirdhand smoke. This dangerous residue sticks to all kinds of surfaces, including carpets, blankets, and stuffed animals.

There is no safe limit for exposure to passive smoking for pregnant women. Infants and young children are particularly at risk.

Ask your friends and family not to smoke in your presence during pregnancy or after the baby is born.

How can you limit exposure to e-cigarette vapor during pregnancy?

1. Make your home and car smoke-free.

2. Ask people not to smoke near you.

3. Make sure the places you visit (e.g. restaurants) are smoke-free.

4. If you visit someone's home who you know smokes indoors, try to talk to the person outside if possible.

Are nicotine-free e-cigarettes safe during pregnancy?

No. In addition to nicotine, other harmful chemicals from e-cigarettes can enter your bloodstream and your baby's body.

And even if you buy vaping products advertised as nicotine-free, there is often still a small amount of nicotine in the liquids and the vapors they produce.

Do nicotine and other substances from e-cigarettes get into breast milk?

Yes. Inhaled nicotine and other substances enter the mother's bloodstream via her lungs and then easily pass into breast milk.

Is vaping safer than smoking during pregnancy?

Nicotine vaping is much less harmful than smoking. It is also one of the most effective ways to quit smoking.

Cigarettes contain nicotine and thousands of other harmful chemicals. With e-cigarettes, you inhale nicotine in the form of vapor rather than smoke.

E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, the two main poisons in cigarette smoke. Carbon monoxide is especially harmful to developing babies.

The vapor from an e-cigarette contains some of the potentially harmful chemicals not found in cigarette smoke, but in much smaller amounts.

If using an e-cigarette helps you quit smoking, it is much safer and preferable for you and your baby than continuing to smoke.

Our more detailed article comparing smoking and vaping

Alternatives to nicotine vaping during pregnancy

Nicotine is highly addictive. If a person is already pregnant and wants to find a successful alternative to quitting e-cigarette vaping, the NRT approach is more acceptable.

With nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), you get nicotine – in the form of gum, patches, sprays, inhalers or lozenges – but not the other harmful chemicals found in e-cigarettes or vaporizers.

Using two nicotine replacement medications (NRTs) at the same time is likely to help you quit more successfully than using a single medication.

Patches can maintain a constant level of nicotine in the body, reducing withdrawal symptoms, while gum can be used to relieve cravings more quickly when they occur.

Diploma

E-cigarettes are touted as being safer than traditional cigarettes. And while that's true, there are still health consequences.

Because e-cigarette aerosols can contain nicotine and other toxic compounds, they are not considered safe during pregnancy.

Furthermore, vaping simply hasn't been around long enough for scientists to have truly studied its long-term effects, particularly with regard to pregnancy.

The FDA and CDC warn that pregnant women should not use vaping products, including THC-containing products and e-cigarettes.

Quitting vaping during pregnancy is one of the most important, safest and healthiest things an expectant mother can do for her child. If pregnancy is planned, it is best to quit vaping before conception.