The association Between Electronic Cigarette Use During Pregnancy and Unfavorable Birth Outcomes.

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study examining the association between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use during pregnancy and unfavorable birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and extended postnatal hospital stay for the newborn. The study used data from the Pregnancy Risk assessment Monitoring System (PRaMS) 2016-2017 Phase 8 survey and included 71,940 women. The study aimed to investigate the association between e-cigarette use during pregnancy and unfavorable birth outcomes.

Key Points:

* The study found that after adjusting for potential confounders, the odds of unfavorable birth outcomes increased by 62% among women who reported e-cigarette use during pregnancy versus women who did not (aOR 1.62, 95%CI 1.16-2.26, p-value 0.005).
* The study controlled for potential confounders such as age, race, ethnicity, insurance, maternal education, prenatal care, physical abuse during pregnancy, and complications during pregnancy.
* The study defined unfavorable birth outcomes as the presence of at least one of the following: preterm birth, low birth weight, or extended postnatal hospital stay for the newborn.
* The study used binary logistic regression analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).
* The study found that the odds of unfavorable birth outcomes increased among women who reported having high blood pressure during pregnancy, those receiving adequate plus prenatal care, and women ages <19 years old.
* The study notes that there is still much that is unknown regarding the long-term health effects of e-cigarette usage.
* The study's findings suggest that healthcare providers, particularly obstetricians, should communicate the risks of e-cigarette use during pregnancy to at-risk patients.

Main Message:
The study's findings suggest that e-cigarette use during pregnancy increases the risk of unfavorable birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. healthcare providers, particularly obstetricians, should be aware of this association and communicate the risks of e-cigarette use during pregnancy to at-risk patients. The study highlights the need for further research on the long-term health effects of e-cigarette usage, particularly in relation to fetal development. It is important for consumers to understand the implications of using e-cigarettes during pregnancy, and healthcare providers must be equipped to provide evidence-based recommendations to their patients.

Galbo a, Izhakoff N, Courington C, Castro G, Lozano J, Ruiz-Pelaez J. The association Between Electronic Cigarette Use During Pregnancy and Unfavorable Birth Outcomes. Cureus. 2022;14(7):1. doi:10.7759/cureus.26748