Many women now smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes. It is a known fact that smoking is extremely harmful to the baby. Even passive smoking can be dangerous. Some Smoker pregnant women switch to e-cigarettes because they want to quit smoking. Many would-be-fathers also switch to e-cigarettes during their wife’s or partner’s pregnancy. But, is smoking e-cigarettes harmless? What is the effect of Vaping or e-cigarette smoking on the unborn baby? Here are all of the facts you need to know.
What Are E-Cigarettes Actually?
E-cigarettes or vape pens or personalized vapes are the electronic counterparts of regular cigarettes. These vaporizers are usually available in different shapes and sizes. It has a warming component that releases nicotine added aerosol after being heated. These smokes look exactly like the smokes of a cigarette. This nicotine added liquid is known as e-liquid. There are e-liquids with different levels of nicotine.
Are Vapours Safe During Pregnancy?
The answer is NO. Yes, e-vapors contain lesser chemicals than the 7000 chemicals found in regular tobacco cigarettes but they are not harmless. Usually, the e-liquid is made of nicotine(different levels present in different liquids), propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and flavoring reagents. After being heated other carcinogenic chemicals like formaldehyde is formed. So, these vapes can also cause cancer. Doctors say that electronic smoking devices can cause serious harm to children and babies in the womb. Therefore it is clear that it will be better if an expecting mother says no to vaping pregnancy.
DANGERS OF VAPING DURING PREGNANCY
E-Cigarettes are dangerous for pregnant women and unborn babies. Some situations can be life-threatening for the baby. According to experts, vaping may increase the risks of:
- Vaping can cause miscarriage.
- E-cigarettes may be the reason for ectopic pregnancy for some women.
- Premature babies can be born. Often vaping of the mother causes newborn babies to be born as underweight and these babies need to be admitted in the Neotenal Intensive Care Unit(NICU) for medication.
- Preterm or premature labor may happen
- Stillbirth
- Placental abruption
- If mothers smoke e-cigarettes frequently their child can be born with defected lungs, hearts, etc.
- The mother may develop colic, asthma and other diseases.
Second hand Vaping can be the cause of all of those above situations.
What to Do?
Then what can mothers and parents do to save their children from smoking? Here are the answers.
- Quit smoking
Yes, the best way to void the problems is to quit smoking if you are pregnant. There are many ways to kick the butt:
a. Chainsmoker women may think of wanting to die while pregnant without their puff sessions. But it will be better if you can quit it by yourself. It is a tough process but you can do it for your baby.
i. You can keep yourself busy so that you won’t need smokes.
ii. Use another way like exercising, yoga, reading to relieve stress than smoking.
iii. Use substitute nicotine chewing gums instead of vaping.
b. You can seek professional therapy like counseling to quit smoking.
i. Request other people not to smoke or vape in front of you.
ii. Make your home and car a smoke-free zone.
iii. Avoid people who smoke.
Therefore, it is clear that vaping is less harmful than regular cigarettes. But, e-cigarettes are dangerous for unborn babies. Hence, it will be better if an expecting woman quit smoking for the sake of her child.
