VAPING while pregnant is no safer than smoking, a new study suggests.
Researchers found e-cigarettes containing nicotine interfered with bone and lung development and resulted in babies with smaller skulls, arms and legs.
GettyA new study suggests vaping while pregnant is no safer than smoking[/caption]
The team, from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, US, discovered even low levels of vapour during pregnancy inhibited foetal growth in similar ways to ciggie smoke.
Associate Professor Emily Bates said: “Pregnant women are increasingly turning to vaping as a perceived safer alternative to cigarettes.
“However, nicotine disrupts fetal development, suggesting that, like cigarette smoking, nicotine vaping may be detrimental to the fetus.
“It is harmful and it’s really important not to start because it’s hard to stop.”
Scientists studied the effects of vaping in wild type mice.
They exposed the creatures to the equivalent of four e-cig cartridges a day – resulting in a total of 96mg (4.0 mL x 24 mg/mL) of nicotine.
The team then looked at what impact this had on the offspring’s bones, lungs and overall development.
Overall, the embryos exposed to vapour containing nicotine were “significantly reduced in size”.
Looking specifically at the bones in their heads and limbs, the researchers found the maxilla, palatal shelves, humerus, and femur were all shorter.
It is thought nicotine directly inhibited the Kcnj2 potassium channel, which is key for bone development.
Offspring also had “severely defective lungs”.
Eszter Vlader, an assistant professor, said: “Those that were exposed to vaping ended up with smaller and shorter bones during their development.
“Additionally, we found that the nicotine impacts which genes are turned on in the fetal lung.”
Prof Bates added: “Nicotine passes through the placenta to fetal circulation where it can accumulate to reach higher levels than in the maternal plasma.
“This disrupts the development of multiple organs and systems.
“The popularity of vaping among young people, the addictive nature of nicotine, and the lack of perceived risk suggests that vaping during pregnancy will likely increase over time.
“Identifying the effects of maternal e-cigarette exposure on fetal development is essential to inform public health messaging and protect the health of the baby.”
The paper was published in Developmental Biology.