Is Vaping Worse Than Smoking Cigarettes While Pregnant?

The doctor’s stern warning echoed in her head as she sat in her car, fingers hovering over her vape pen. "You’re not doing yourself any favors by switching to vaping," she remembered him saying, "and neither are you helping your baby."

Vaping, the perceived 'safer' alternative to smoking, has lulled many into a false sense of security, especially pregnant women who want to avoid the well-documented dangers of cigarette smoking during pregnancy. But is it really safer? The question is much more complex than a simple 'yes' or 'no'. While it’s true that vaping eliminates many of the toxins found in cigarettes, it introduces new dangers that are far from understood. And for a mother-to-be, that unknown risk may be far greater than anticipated.

What Makes Cigarettes So Dangerous in Pregnancy?

We already know a lot about smoking during pregnancy—miscarriages, premature births, and low birth weights are just a few of the significant risks involved. Traditional cigarettes contain a cocktail of harmful chemicals, including nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, which all pose direct harm to both the mother and the developing fetus. Nicotine, in particular, can constrict blood vessels, limiting the oxygen and nutrients the baby needs.

But vaping isn’t a direct swap for smoking. While it eliminates tar and some other harmful chemicals, it still delivers nicotine, the addictive substance that can also affect fetal development.

The Allure of Vaping: Is it Really a Safer Choice?

For many, the allure of vaping lies in its positioning as a "less harmful" option. It doesn’t have the acrid smell, the smoke, or the immediate health risks linked to traditional smoking. But does that mean it’s better, especially for someone carrying a life inside them? Studies are still evolving, but here’s what we know so far:

• Nicotine still enters the bloodstream, impacting both the mother and baby.
• Many e-liquids contain flavoring chemicals like diacetyl, which has been linked to serious lung damage.
• The long-term effects of inhaling vape aerosols remain largely unknown.

This unknown aspect makes vaping an even riskier choice during pregnancy. The effects of smoking cigarettes on a developing baby are well documented—vaping’s risks are not.

What Studies Say (and Don’t Say) About Vaping and Pregnancy

The comparison between smoking and vaping, especially in the context of pregnancy, is challenging because research on vaping is still in its infancy. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health organizations have published vast amounts of data on cigarette smoking during pregnancy, vaping hasn’t been studied to the same extent.

However, a few critical points have emerged:

1. Nicotine exposure from vaping is similar to cigarette smoking. As discussed, nicotine can restrict fetal growth, impair brain development, and lead to preterm birth or even stillbirth.
2. Many e-cigarettes contain more than nicotine. Flavored vapes often use additional chemicals that could be dangerous when inhaled, and these chemicals may pass from the mother to the baby through the placenta.
3. Secondhand exposure to vapor is another concern. If pregnant women inhale someone else’s vapor, they may still be exposed to harmful substances.

So why does vaping feel like the safer alternative? The marketing around it doesn’t help. With colorful ads and sleek devices, e-cigarettes have been heavily marketed as a safer, cleaner option. This messaging, combined with the lack of long-term research, leads many pregnant women to assume it’s the 'lesser evil.' But is it really?

Real-Life Consequences: A Cautionary Tale

Take Emily, a first-time mom who switched from smoking to vaping as soon as she found out she was pregnant. “I thought I was making the healthier choice,” she explained. For months, she vaped daily, reassured by her own reasoning that vaping was better than smoking.

By the third trimester, her baby was diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), a condition where the baby does not grow to a healthy weight inside the womb. The doctors couldn’t pinpoint an exact cause, but Emily couldn’t shake the feeling that her vaping habit had played a role. Her baby was born three weeks early, weighing just four pounds, and spent his first days in the neonatal intensive care unit. "If I could go back, I wouldn’t have touched either," she admits.

Breaking Down the Risk: Vaping, Pregnancy, and Your Baby’s Future

While vaping may seem like a modern solution to quitting smoking, it’s crucial to weigh the unknowns. There’s no denying that nicotine—whether from a cigarette or a vape—poses a risk to both mother and child. The unknown chemicals and incomplete research only add to that risk. In many cases, the potential harm may even outweigh the benefits.

Let’s break it down:

• Nicotine: Whether inhaled from a cigarette or vape, nicotine can cause problems such as premature birth, low birth weight, and miscarriage.
• Chemicals in Vape Liquid: Many e-liquids contain chemicals like formaldehyde and diacetyl, both known for causing respiratory issues.
• Vaping Aerosols: The impact of long-term exposure to vapor is still unknown, but initial studies suggest potential harm.

So while quitting cigarettes is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, picking up a vape doesn’t eliminate the dangers—it just changes them.

What Can Pregnant Women Do?

The best choice for pregnant women is not to smoke or vape at all. For those struggling to quit, other nicotine replacement therapies (like patches or gums) may offer a safer alternative. Consulting a doctor is the first step toward making the safest choice for both mother and child.

Quitting is hard, but the stakes are high. Whether smoking or vaping, the impact on a developing baby is profound and can last a lifetime. If you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant, putting down the vape is one of the best decisions you can make for your health and the health of your baby.