Vaping guidance and women's decision-making during pregnancy & postpartum

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Maternal Health
• Substance Use Research

Background:

• Vaping during pregnancy is under-researched, complicating prevention and health promotion efforts.
• Limited guidance exists for healthcare providers and pregnant individuals regarding vaping.
• This study addresses the experiences of women who vape during pregnancy and postpartum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the experiences and considerations of women who vape during pregnancy and postpartum.
• To inform the development of realistic and useful health information for women and providers.
• To address the lack of clear guidance on vaping during pregnancy and postpartum.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 22 interviews with pregnant and postpartum women who vaped nicotine, cannabis, or both.
• Recruited participants via social media; interviews were conducted via Zoom or telephone.
• Analyzed interview data using a combined deductive, inductive, and abductive approach.

Main Results:

• Identified three themes: women's agency in information seeking, information assessment strategies, and ambivalence about vaping.
• Women actively sought information on vaping's health effects, influenced by various sources.
• Ambivalence was managed by vaping privately; women feared societal judgment.

Conclusions:

• Women demonstrated agency in seeking and assessing information despite limited research and guidance.
• Ambivalence regarding vaping decisions and practices was common among participants.
• Knowledge products were developed to address the identified information gaps.