Use of e‑cigarettes in pregnancy: A systematic review of evidence published from 2020‑2022

Lauren Bell; Maxine Whelan; Lucie Thomas; Emily  Edwards; Deborah Lycett; Kelly Hayward; Katie Wilson; Rachel Harrison; Riya Patel

doi:10.1007/s10389-023-02026-9

Use of e‑cigarettes in pregnancy: A systematic review of evidence published from 2020‑2022

Lauren Bell
, Maxine Whelan
, Lucie Thomas
, Emily Edwards
, Deborah Lycett
, Kelly Hayward
, Katie Wilson
, Rachel Harrison
, Riya Patel

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Warwickshire County Council

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

197 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Aim: This study synthesised evidence related to e-cigarette use in pregnancy published from 2020 to 2022.

Subject and methods: Smoking cessation during pregnancy is a key public health focus given associations with adverse health and birth outcomes. E-cigarettes may facilitate quitting combustible cigarette use during pregnancy. A systematic search of online databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) was conducted on 25 February 2022.

Results: Thirty-seven studies investigating e-cigarette use in pregnancy were included in the review the majority of which were of ‘good’ quality (n=33). Included studies reported on one or more of; prevalence of e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=27), birth and health-related outcomes of e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=13), the impact of e-cigarette use on smoking cessation behaviours (n=11) and attitudes and perceptions around e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=9). Prevalence was found to range from 1.2% to 4.8%, whilst perceptions of e-cigarette use during pregnancy were found to be more positive than those towards combustible cigarette use. Findings regarding health and birth outcomes were notably mixed, and the efficacy of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool remains unclear.

Conclusion: The majority of studies published in the last two years were on prevalence of e-cigarette use in pregnancy. More high-quality evidence focusing on the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, and the health implications of e-cigarette use compared with combustible cigarette use during pregnancy is needed to support the implementation of e-cigarettes as a harm-reduction approach in practice.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	315-328
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Public Health
Volume	33
Issue number	2
Early online date	26 Jul 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-023-02026-9
Publication status	Published - Feb 2025

Bibliographical note

Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.

This document is the author’s post-print version, incorporating any revisions agreed during the peer-review process. Some differences between the published version and this version may remain and you are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it.

Funder

This work was commissioned by Warwickshire County Council, UK.

Funding

This work was commissioned by Warwickshire County Council, UK.

Funders
Warwickshire County Council

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

e-cigarettes
Pregnancy
Public health
Systematic review
Smoking cessation

Access to Document

10.1007/s10389-023-02026-9

Patel2023AAMAccepted author manuscript, 1.14 MB

Cite this

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title = "Use of e‑cigarettes in pregnancy: A systematic review of evidence published from 2020‑2022",

abstract = "Aim: This study synthesised evidence related to e-cigarette use in pregnancy published from 2020 to 2022. Subject and methods: Smoking cessation during pregnancy is a key public health focus given associations with adverse health and birth outcomes. E-cigarettes may facilitate quitting combustible cigarette use during pregnancy. A systematic search of online databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) was conducted on 25 February 2022. Results: Thirty-seven studies investigating e-cigarette use in pregnancy were included in the review the majority of which were of {\textquoteleft}good{\textquoteright} quality (n=33). Included studies reported on one or more of; prevalence of e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=27), birth and health-related outcomes of e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=13), the impact of e-cigarette use on smoking cessation behaviours (n=11) and attitudes and perceptions around e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=9). Prevalence was found to range from 1.2\% to 4.8\%, whilst perceptions of e-cigarette use during pregnancy were found to be more positive than those towards combustible cigarette use. Findings regarding health and birth outcomes were notably mixed, and the efficacy of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool remains unclear. Conclusion: The majority of studies published in the last two years were on prevalence of e-cigarette use in pregnancy. More high-quality evidence focusing on the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, and the health implications of e-cigarette use compared with combustible cigarette use during pregnancy is needed to support the implementation of e-cigarettes as a harm-reduction approach in practice.",

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note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. This document is the author{\textquoteright}s post-print version, incorporating any revisions agreed during the peer-review process. Some differences between the published version and this version may remain and you are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it. ",

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AU - Thomas, Lucie

AU - Edwards, Emily

AU - Lycett, Deborah

AU - Hayward, Kelly

AU - Wilson, Katie

AU - Harrison, Rachel

AU - Patel, Riya

N1 - Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. This document is the author’s post-print version, incorporating any revisions agreed during the peer-review process. Some differences between the published version and this version may remain and you are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it.

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N2 - Aim: This study synthesised evidence related to e-cigarette use in pregnancy published from 2020 to 2022. Subject and methods: Smoking cessation during pregnancy is a key public health focus given associations with adverse health and birth outcomes. E-cigarettes may facilitate quitting combustible cigarette use during pregnancy. A systematic search of online databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) was conducted on 25 February 2022. Results: Thirty-seven studies investigating e-cigarette use in pregnancy were included in the review the majority of which were of ‘good’ quality (n=33). Included studies reported on one or more of; prevalence of e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=27), birth and health-related outcomes of e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=13), the impact of e-cigarette use on smoking cessation behaviours (n=11) and attitudes and perceptions around e-cigarette use during pregnancy (n=9). Prevalence was found to range from 1.2% to 4.8%, whilst perceptions of e-cigarette use during pregnancy were found to be more positive than those towards combustible cigarette use. Findings regarding health and birth outcomes were notably mixed, and the efficacy of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool remains unclear. Conclusion: The majority of studies published in the last two years were on prevalence of e-cigarette use in pregnancy. More high-quality evidence focusing on the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, and the health implications of e-cigarette use compared with combustible cigarette use during pregnancy is needed to support the implementation of e-cigarettes as a harm-reduction approach in practice.

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KW - Pregnancy

KW - Public health

KW - Systematic review

KW - Smoking cessation

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JO - Journal of Public Health

JF - Journal of Public Health

IS - 2

ER -

Use of e‑cigarettes in pregnancy: A systematic review of evidence published from 2020‑2022

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funder

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this