Smoking ECIGS when pregnant, your views please

[dawn]

Hi , im just wondering if any one has vaped while pregnant? My sister is a smoker and pregnant and shes finding it really hard to give up, shes thinking of trying Ecigs. I really dont know what advice to give her other than dont smoke but as we all know thats easier said than done. Ive smoked for 24yrs and through all 3 of my pregnancys and trying to give up when pregnant is REALLY hard, the midwife said sometimes your hormones can make you crave a fag even more!
So i thought i would ask you lot for your views 

[audiobookman]

that is a tough one, but i would have thought she would be a 1000x better off with the ecig than the anologues. but i would recomend a very low dosage of nic. if it was my wife i would tell her to try it out at about 8mg and see show she get on, she may actually find she can ween herself off completly with the ecig down to 0mg. i dont think any nic is good for an unborn, but i know the other 1000+ chemicals cant be doing it any good either. has she tried other nrt?. she may find a combination of patches with 0mg ecig (for the habit) may fits the bill. i dunno its really up to her to do the research and make her own mind up. i wouldnt like to say yes or know here.

[sunnyscott]

I don't see what harm could come of it!
I smoked thru all my pregnancies and if there had been something like this around I know what I would prefer.
I have a neighbour who is pregnant at the moment and her husband was willing to try one of my older ecigs and he thought it was great!
She on the other hand wasn't so willing. I don't get it.
If that was me I would definately find the reasons to reap the benefits for me and my baby

[caz]

through my three pregnancies i barely smoked at all, they were very dark days for me, as i found it very hard to stop.  if i was pregnant now i think i would go for the zero nicotine and see how it went

[dawn]

Thanks for your veiws so far, she was worried because of the Propylene glycol, when she looked it up it said it was harmfull to unborn babies but ive since read that its in analogs anyway? But i think the idea of trying one with the very low nicotine juice would be a good idea

[audiobookman]

Thanks for your veiws so far, she was worried because of the Propylene glycol, when she looked it up it said it was harmfull to unborn babies but ive since read that its in analogs anyway? But i think the idea of trying one with the very low nicotine juice would be a good idea

well propylene is in everything around us in our daily lives including food, granted we dont inhale it as you do with the ecig but its regarded as harmless. now im not sure but i suspect it would also be in normal anologues as well as everyother chemical nearly known to man is lol.
im glad she is doing the research, we were very lucky when my wife was pregnant, she has never been a smoker so it wasnt an issue, but for me that was the longest 12hrs of my life (first time round) in that non smoking delivery room lol.

[Angela]

I do know that nicotine isn't good for unborn babies... not heard that about PG though.

Maybe she could fool her body by vaping 0mg VG?  - ie still have the act of smoking to help her through any cravings.

[freakindahouse]

I'm kinda just adding to what Angela said, in suggesting she try VG rather than PG.

I smoked heavily through all four of my pregnancies, and miraculously got away with it in that I have four normally fit and well children (aside from the normal illnesses children suffer!). In fact, during my first pregnancy, the midwife said it would probably be MORE harmful to my baby to stop smoking, since it would distress me so much that my blood pressure would go through the roof! Interestingly, the same midwife tested what effect my smoking was having on my blood pressure and found that it went DOWN when I had a fag! (Not that I'm advocating smoking - very happy vaper now, and no more analogs for me or my kids! Hooray!)

That said, if I had had the option to use a low nic dosage ecig with VG, we could all have been even healthier! BTW, all three of my boys (my last three pregnancies/deliveries) nearly killed me. I don't know if that was because I smoked, but it sure as hell can't have helped.

I wish your sister all the very best with her pregnancy, and hope she comes to a decision she is happy with regarding smoking, vaping or abstaining. At the end of the day, it's her baby and her body, so really, it's got to be her decision!

Please keep us posted on how she's doing - all information is so useful, cos it can help other people with their own issues or problems.

Take care,

Cheers,

Freak

[spiraller]

I found this a really interesting question, and this is what a quick google has thrown up in answer:

1. Is PG harmful during pregnancy if vaped? It would appear not, based on the following from an online article:
GENERIC NAME: PROPYLENE GLYCOL/POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL SPRAY - NASAL
USES: This product is a non-medicated nose spray used to relieve dry nasal passages (nostrils) and helps relieve nasal drainage. This product does not contain any decongestants. Therefore, it may be safe to use with certain medical conditions that typically should not use decongestant nasal sprays (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy).
here



2. What are the effects of nicotine on the foetus?
Maternal smoking can also cause decreased lung function and increased respiratory illness in offspring. It is thought that the nicotine in cigarettes is a key cause of these problems, crossing the placenta to interact with cells in the unborn infant's developing lungs.
The Oregon team studied a small group of infant monkeys born to mothers who received regular doses of nicotine comparable to those of a smoking human mother. The breathing abilities and lung development of these monkeys was then compared with monkeys born to mothers who had received both nicotine and 250 mg vitamin C per day during pregnancy.
A third group of baby monkeys that did not receive either nicotine or vitamin C during prenatal development were studied as a control group.
"We found that animals exposed to nicotine prior to birth had reduced air flow in the lungs compared to animals that were given nicotine and vitamin C. In fact, the nicotine plus vitamin C group had lung air flow close to that of a normal animal," explained Spindel.
here


It's got to be better than smoking. The placenta absorbs tar and chemicals, and the foetus absorbs many more chemicals than just nicotine. The study suggests that vitamin C will help counteract the nicotine, which sounds helpful to the pregnant nicotine addict

[Angela]

"We found that animals exposed to nicotine prior to birth had reduced air flow in the lungs compared to animals that were given nicotine and vitamin C. In fact, the nicotine plus vitamin C group had lung air flow close to that of a normal animal," explained Spindel.

The study suggests that vitamin C will help counteract the nicotine, which sounds helpful to the pregnant nicotine addict

It would appear so!  Great find! 

[dawn]

spiraller that was a great answer! Thankyou! I hope anyone reading this who is pregnant or who becomes pregnant finds this thread useful. My sister was really greatfull for everyones views and has decided to order her ecig starter kit in the morning!
The subject is a tricky one because not many women like to admit they smoke while pregnant and like Freak said giving up when your pregnant can be bad for you, not just health wise but also within yourself, your moods etc, its bad enough being pregnant as it is, you gotta give up booze which is easy for most, you gotta watch what you eat and then try and quit smoking when, like me, you crave fags even more!

So yeah thanks to everyone who has taken the time to answer this thread and in november some time ill post a photo of my niece or nephew! (personaly i want a niece as ive got 3 nephews!)

[pillbox38]

Wyked>>>>Just FYI i have had the above post reported to me..I have read it through and think you should ammend it, we are not medics, we cannot offer medical advice.

Please if you are going to make statements that appear to be of an advisory nature back it up with references to medical journals or sites supporting or refuting your claims.

Also it is wise to inform the boards (if in fact this is the case) that it is your opinion and not a fact.

I see no problem in posting an opinion or a belief as long as we state that it is just that.

None of us can offer pregnant women advice re nicotine, let the Doctors and medics do this.

[WykydRed]

You should have just deleted it. I'll get the backup and repost when I find it. Sorry about that!

[dawn]

I would like to say that my main objective, asking for peoples views on smoking Ecigs while pregnant, was to see if anyone of the ladys on the forum had vaped while pregnant, or knew anyone that had and had some experience of this subject.
 The reason i now smoke an Ecig is because my sister bought one 4 weeks ago thinking that because shes pregnant it may be better for her and her baby than smoking analogs, Knowing that she wouldnt beable to give up analogs. So that made me think if shes getting one because shes pregnant then there must be others?
 As it turned out she decided not to use it as she didnt know what PROPYLENE GLYCOL was and was worried about that. I then found out that PROPYLENE GLYCOL was in analogs so guessed, like most other people that Ecigs must be better.

All the views and info so far have been great. My sister is a staff nurse in the UK  and has been for over 10 years and knows her own mind and will make her own mind up. She has decided to use an Ecig with a low nicotine content.

 Having said that she and i are very greatfull that people took the time to give thier views and even took the time to find some very interesting information, i also understand that this is delicate topic and know that people can get emotionaly carried away for what ever reason and would urge any one pregnant to look into the facts and decide for themselves 

[Darth Vaper]

I would say refer to taking the nicotine patch while pregnant. Plenty of studies out there on the subject.

Health concerns are pretty similar.

Most responsible liquid manufacturers will say no way.

Check with a doctor.
Same goes for trying the 0mg approach.

[Grandma Cas]

The study suggests that vitamin C will help counteract the nicotine, which sounds helpful to the pregnant nicotine addict

I smoked during all 5 of my pregnancy's & in my day not much was said about it.

However, I do know from research I did in the 80's that vitamin C is a natural antioxident & really depleted by smoking. To counteract the loss, smokers need to take as much as 2000mg per day. This amount is not possible just from food intake so, supplement are needed. Vitamin C is water soluble so not harmfull if taken in large doses.

The B vitamins, again water soluble, are also depleted by smoking so, anyone still using analogues should look into taking both B&C vitamins.

Google 'vitamin c & b & smoking' brings up loads of info on the subject.

Cas

[prof beard]

The study suggests that vitamin C will help counteract the nicotine, which sounds helpful to the pregnant nicotine addict

I smoked during all 5 of my pregnancy's & in my day not much was said about it.

However, I do know from research I did in the 80's that vitamin C is a natural antioxident & really depleted by smoking. To counteract the loss, smokers need to take as much as 2000mg per day. This amount is not possible just from food intake so, supplement are needed. Vitamin C is water soluble so not harmfull if taken in large doses.

The B vitamins, again water soluble, are also depleted by smoking so, anyone still using analogues should look into taking both B&C vitamins.

Google 'vitamin c & b & smoking' brings up loads of info on the subject.

Cas

I suspect that vapers shold take extra vit C the same as smokers - this is because I believe (but I'm no biologist or chemist or medic) that it's the nicotine that depletes the vit C in the body.  I take 2000mg a day anyway and have done so for years

[hypnotize6661]

I suspect it couldn't be as bad as real cigarettes.  I probably would try to refrain from doing it until more is known.  You never know what could cause problems and its not worth it to risk it.  Just my opinion though.  I understand how hard nicotine is to kick.  Your friend should talk to her physician.

[freakindahouse]

At the end of the day, that's the only sensible advice any of us can give: speak to your doctor. The rest is all just opinions, which while interesting cannot really be regarded as 'useful' in any kind of medical sense. Once again, Dawn, I wish your sister all the best with the pregnancy.

Take care,

Freak

[Grandma Cas]

However, I do know from research I did in the 80's that vitamin C is a natural antioxident & really depleted by smoking. To counteract the loss, smokers need to take as much as 2000mg per day. This amount is not possible just from food intake so, supplement are needed. Vitamin C is water soluble so not harmfull if taken in large doses.

The B vitamins, again water soluble, are also depleted by smoking so, anyone still using analogues should look into taking both B&C vitamins.

Cas

I suspect that vapers shold take extra vit C the same as smokers - this is because I believe (but I'm no biologist or chemist or medic) that it's the nicotine that depletes the vit C in the body.  I take 2000mg a day anyway and have done so for years

I agree prof & I hope you make a point of taking it with food, works much better IMO.

Cas

[malkavian]

There can be no doubt that vaping is better than smoking cigarettes, however the nicotine may have some adverse effects that deserve mention:

For instance ( http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/11914  ):

" Catalano and Shatz studied axons that grow out from nerve cells located in a brain structure called the thalamus. During development these axons must navigate toward their correct target, the neocortex. The thalamus is a vital way station within the brain; all of the information coming from the sensory organs (such as the eyes, ears, and skin surface) passes through the thalamus on its way to the neocortex. The neocortex is the highly folded layer of neurons on the surface of the brain that is responsible for such functions as language processing; in other words, it is the brain structure that makes us uniquely human. The connections from the thalamus to the cortex are not randomly organized: specific groups of nerve cells within the thalamus (called nuclei) connect up to specific areas of the neocortex. This precise organization, or "map", is critical for proper brain function. In order to form this circuit correctly during development, groups of axons coming from specific places within the thalamus must navigate across the vast expanse of neocortex. They must bypass incorrect areas of the neocortex and choose just the right area to connect with, but without electrical activity, the axons become lost.

How might electrical activity produce this effect? While that is not currently known, clues can be found in studies of other regions in the brain. Previous work from Dr. Shatz's lab has shown that very early in development when the axons from the eye are still navigating toward their targets in the brain, waves of electrical activity sweep across the retina. This means that axons that are nearest neighbors are electrically active at the same time. Simultaneous activity could alter the molecular environment of the pathway through which the axons grow and allow cohorts of axons to keep together during navigation.

Ever since the pioneering work of Nobel laureates David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel, it has been known that the pattern of electrical activity carried by different sets of axons can influence the physical shape of the axons themselves. During the last phases of development, axons from the thalamus form many branches as they spread out through the neocortex to make their final sets of connections. These branches are literally shaped like the branches of a tree, and hence are called the "terminal arbor." Changes in the axon's pattern of electrical activity can change the shape of the tree that forms; less activity results in a shrunken, knarled axon tree. Surrounding axons with normal levels of activity form many more branches that grow into the shrunken tree's territory, just like their counterparts in nature that grow into the sunlit space created when a neighbor falls.

While the role of electrical activity in the final stages of thalamic axon branch formation had been well established, the possibility that the same process might be crucial in early development during axon navigation remained uninvestigated until now. The clinical implications of this are potentially alarming: drugs such as nicotine, which can affect electrical activity within the brain, have the potential to disrupt circuit formation in a developing infant's brain at very early stages, when the major circuits of the brain are being formed. The possibility that developing brains are vulnerable to disruption by activity-altering agents at such early times suggests important areas for future research. "

Axon are basically nerve threads running around in the brain and body. Seems their growth might be affected by nicotine - at least the study suggests that.