NCT03480373

Electronic Cigarette Use During Pregnancy

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 182 (actual)
• Sponsor: UConn Health · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 16 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: —

Summary

Aim 1: To compare the overall toxicant exposure in pregnant women who use electronic cigarettes (e-cigs, vapor, e-liquid, e-juice, vape, vaping devices) compared to women who smoke conventional cigarettes. Aim 2. To compare toxicant exposure and birth outcomes among infants born to pregnant women who use e-cigs compared to women who smoke conventional cigarettes. Aim 3. To explore potential mechanisms by which e-cigs could influence birth weight.

Detailed description

In addition to examining characteristics of pregnant e-cig users as well as patterns of their product use, this study is innovative in several ways. First, it is the first known study to examine toxicant exposure to cigarettes and e-cigs in a sample of pregnant smokers who are using these products. Although studies have reported on toxic exposures with e-cigs, this is the first study to apply toxic exposure tests to pregnant women. Second this is the first study to examine the impact of electronic cigarette use on birth outcomes in pregnant smokers. Although e-cigarettes are similar to tobacco cigarettes in that they deliver nicotine, they are distinguished from tobacco cigarettes in that they do not contain many toxic substances such as carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. Consequently, similar to nicotine replacement therapies they have the potential to improve birth outcomes. However, it possible that there may be unanticipated negative effects on birth outcomes, and this study could provide a signal for potential other adverse effects (i.e., miscarriages etc.). Third, this study is the first to examine whether e-cigs alter carcinogen exposure to the fetus, which has been implicated in causing low birth weight and in long-term cancer risk for infants born to smokers. Finally, this is the first study to explore formaldehyde in urine as a measurement of conventional smoking and electronic cigarette use.

Conditions

• Cigarette Smoking-Related Carcinoma

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-06-18
• Primary completion: 2023-05-31
• Completion: 2023-08-30
• First posted: 2018-03-29
• Last updated: 2023-09-21

Locations

6 sites across 1 country: United States