Pregnant women trying to quit smoking should turn to e-cigarettes rather than nicotine patches, a new study has suggested.
Led by Queen Mary University of London, the research split a group of 1,140 pregnant women into two groups; one half received e-cigarettes while the other half were assigned nicotine patches, which is what current guidelines recommend.
While both methods were deemed equally safe, the researchers found that fewer women in the first group had babies with low birthweight – something that has been linked to poor health later in life.
The research team suggest this could be evidence that e-cigarettes are more effective for reducing conventional smoking.
The university also found that almost twice as many women successfully stopped smoking using e-cigarettes compared to those with nicotine patches.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research, which funded the study, highlighted the wider choice users have when selecting e-cigarettes (such as strength and flavour) as a potential reason why they make quitting easier.
Peter Hajek, director of health and lifestyle research unit, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, said: “The evidence-based advice to smokers already includes, among other options, a recommendation to switch from smoking to e-cigarettes. Such a recommendation can now be extended to smokers who are pregnant as well.”
More information on the study is available here.
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