The discussion onuse of nicotine replacement products in pregnant women has always been a subject of debate and concern. However, a recent analysis conducted by Queen Mary University of London, and reported in the newspaper healthcareinformation, shed new light on this topic, suggesting that such substitutes are not associated with adverse events or complications. Let’s explore the details of this research and the implications for expectant mothers.
The Analysis of Queen Mary University: an in-depth analysis of the results
The research group of Queen Mary University conducted an analysis on pregnant smoking women, examining the association between the use of nicotine replacement products and pregnancy outcomes. The results of this study, called PREP 2were published in the magazine Addictionrevealing interesting and reassuring results.
Measuring Cotinine Levels: A Marked Advance in Research on Pregnant Women
The study protocol involved over 1,100 pregnant women smokers from from 23 hospitals in England and one anti-smoking center in Scotland. The researchers used measurements of levels of salivary cotinine, a biological marker of tobacco use, early and late in pregnancy. These data were critical to understanding the impact of nicotine replacement on gestational outcomes.
Electronic cigarettes and nicotine patches: differences in use
The results revealed that the electronic cigarettes they are the replacement product of nicotine most commonly used, with the 47% of women studied who prefer them over nicotine patches, used by 21%. This underlines the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes as an alternative to tobacco during pregnancy.
Birth weight: no significant difference
A crucial aspect of the study concerns the birth weight of children. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences between children born to women who regularly used nicotine replacement products and those born to women who smoked traditionally. This data offers relief and suggests that such substitutes do not adversely affect birth weight.
Approval for safe use: expert statements
The founder of Research center for smoking harm reduction, Riccardo Polosa, underlines the importance of the study outcomes. According to Polosa, these findings can also be extended to heated tobacco products, suggesting that the use of nicotine replacements is safe during pregnancy.
An opening towards heated tobacco products
Polosa’s statements are supported by experts such as Peter Hajek from Queen Mary University, who says e-cigarettes have been shown to help pregnant smokers a quit without significant risks to the pregnancy. The prospect of extending this safety to heated tobacco products also offers a new scenario of options for expectant mothers.
Pregnant women smoke: a public health problem
The words of Tim Colemanresearcher ofUniversity of Nottinghamhighlight the urgency of addressing smoking during pregnancy as a serious public health problem. The use of nicotine-containing aids to quit smoking is strongly recommended, with the recognition that such substitutes are preferable to continuing to smoke during pregnancy.
Smoking pregnant women: conclusion
In conclusion, the analysis conducted by Queen Mary University sheds new light on safety of the use of nicotine replacement products during pregnancy. These results provide reassurances to women trying to quit smoking, opening the door to safer options and reducing the risks associated with traditional smoking during pregnancy.