Fetal Growth Following Electronic Cigarette Use in Pregnancy.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Perinatal Medicine
• Developmental Toxicology

Background:

• Electronic cigarette (e-cig) use during pregnancy is prevalent.
• Potential impacts of e-cig exposure on fetal development remain largely uncharacterized.
• Concerns exist regarding e-cigs as a
• safer
• alternative to traditional smoking during gestation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between maternal e-cig use and fetal growth parameters.
• To quantify differences in fetal size between e-cig users and non-users throughout pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical chart data from a single institution.
• Inclusion of pregnant women with exclusive e-cig use and a control group without other substance use.
• Fetal size measurements (ultrasound and birth weight) analyzed as percentiles for gestational age, with adjustments for confounders.

Main Results:

• Significant fetal size deficits observed with increasing gestational age in e-cig users compared to controls.
• Femur length showed deficits in the second trimester (11.5 percentile points).
• By the third trimester and at birth, significant deficits were noted in femur length, fetal weight, and other size parameters.

Conclusions:

• Prenatal e-cig exposure is associated with progressive fetal growth restriction.
• Findings suggest e-cigarettes may pose specific risks to fetal development, challenging their perception as a safe alternative.
• Further research is needed to confirm and elucidate the mechanisms of these observed harms.