As an expectant mom, you may be looking for ways to quit smoking.Some may wonder if electronic cigarettes (also known as e-hookah, e-pens, vape pens, or tanks) are a safe way to quit smoking during pregnancy.E-cigarettes are battery-operated cigarettes that turn chemicals, including nicotine, into a vapor, which is then inhaled.The truth is that e-cigarettes are NOT regulated, and you cannot know what kinds or amounts of chemicals, such as nicotine, they contain.There are no known studies that have documented their safety, and the FDA has not approved e-cigarettes as a cessation aid.In addition, nicotine is an addictive substance that is toxic to reproduction and interferes with fetal brain development.It may also adversely affect fetal lung development and increase the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).Smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, dissolvable tobacco, snuff, and snus (a moist form of snuff) have been associated with stillbirth, preterm delivery, and infant apnea when used during pregnancy.

As such, it is best to avoid using e-cigarettes or other nicotine-containing products during pregnancy.If you are having a hard time quitting during pregnancy on your own,  or with counseling, you may consider nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).e cigarette erectile dysfunctionFDA-approved forms of NRT include nicotine gum, patches, inhalers, nasal spray, and lozenges.e cigarette gilbert azCessation tablets, such as Zyban and Chantix, are NOT recommended during pregnancy.e cigarette igo6It is important to consult your doctor before using an NRT product to discuss the risks of using such products during pregnancy.e cigarette plug

These should only be used under the close supervision of a physician.Last updated: February 22, 2017 at 23:35 pm Compiled using information from the following sources: /healthy/stayawayfromtobacco/guidetoquittingsmoking/guide-to-quitting-smoking-types-of-nrt 2.e cigarette plugDepartment of Health and Human Services.e cigarette pipe modAre e-cigarettes safe during pregnancy?As an OB-GYN, I get this question constantly.Especially from women who want to quit smoking during pregnancy, or who smoked in the past and may want to try e-cigarettes as a way to get the nicotine fix they still crave.But before we hit on e-cigarettes, let’s recall some facts about the dangers of smoking.When you see a commercial about the need to quit cigarettes, what do you usually see?A person who has been severely disfigured as a result of their smoking – someone who has lost limbs or undergone open heart surgery.

Or a person left disfigured by operations to save them from throat or mouth cancer.At the end of the commercial, you see a graphic that says, “Smoking causes immediate damage to your body.” And not only does smoking cause immediate damage – but it also causes long-term damage to your blood vessels, which can last for years after you quit.Now, what can smoking do to a pregnancy?The risk factors for infants born to mothers who smoke can include low birth weight and learning disabilities.Smoking also carries the risk of miscarriage, preterm labor and even stillbirth.How does smoking lead to all of these atrocities?Nicotine and other chemicals found in cigarettes have numerous negative effects on the small blood vessels of the placenta.The placenta is the organ responsible for bringing oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the baby during pregnancy – think of it as the baby’s lungs and lifeline in the womb.When that tissue is exposed to toxins like nicotine, damage can be done – no matter how many cigarettes you smoked, or when you smoked them.

Many patients tell me they decided to quit smoking once they confirmed their pregnancy.But nicotine still lingers in the body for one to four days after quitting, according to the American Cancer Society.Many journals have documented the effects of nicotine on the placenta.In 2002,  the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a very important paper revealing the ill effects that smoking can have on the blood vessels and tissue of the placenta.And as far back as 1996, the American Journal of Epidemiology, in a very large study, demonstrated statistical evidence indicating that placentas of smokers had lesions characteristic of poor blood flow, which consequently had negative effects on newborns.These effects on newborns can be cumulative, and are very difficult to prevent.In severe cases, the damage to placental function can be so acute that it can lead to premature separation of the placenta, which may cause perinatal complications.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) continues to grant millions of dollars in research to scientists trying to better understand the function of the placenta and how toxins, such as cigarette smoke, could lead to its dysfunction.

Now, back to the question I get from patients every day: Are e-cigarettes safe?The overwhelming answer is: No, they are not safe.E-cigarettes still expose your unborn child to nicotine, which we know is one of the main toxins implicated in placental damage.Furthermore, there are currently no regulations on e-cigarettes.In other words, many of the devices being sold containing liquid nicotine are very poorly controlled, and as a result, you might be exposing your unborn child to a much higher dose of nicotine than you would even find in a typical cigarette.Since you may think that e-cigarettes are safe, you may be doing this repeatedly.Here’s the best advice I can give you: Never pick up smoking to begin with, because it takes a while for the chronic effects of cigarette smoking to go away.And if you already smoke, quit.Don’t replace cigarettes with e-cigarettes, especially during your pregnancy.Dr. Manny Alvarez serves as Fox News Channel's senior managing health editor.He also serves as chairman of the department of obstetrics/gynecology and reproductive science at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.