No nicotine when you're pregnant, period!

Nicotine patches, gum and so on may harm developing fetuses:

The authors observed a "relative prevalence rate ratio" or RPR, of 1.1 for all congenital malformations among smokers. The RPR for cleft lip or malformations of the digestive system or circulatory system ranged between 1.2 and 1.5.

Among nonsmokers who used nicotine substitutes during the first 12 weeks, the RPR for birth defects was higher -- 1.61 -- compared with nonsmokers who did not use nicotine substitutes. The RPR for musculoskeletal type malformations was 2.63.

To explain these discrepancies, the researchers offer that nicotine substitutes may be absorbed by a different route and reach higher peak doses of nicotine compared with tobacco smoke.

Even though their study failed to find increased malformation risk among smokers, the researchers say that "there is sufficient evidence for a harmful, overall fetotoxic effect of smoking to warn pregnant women not to smoke at all during pregnancy."

I don't think that's too controversial any more, but the news about nicotine replacements potentially being worse than smoking, well, I just hope women get off nicotine altogether before they start havin' babies. I know too many women who use cigarettes as a way to keep their weight down. Folks, be "fat." (Usually we're talking 10-20 lbs here, not hundreds.) It's better to be fat than smoke. Categories: smoking, nicotine, pregnancy, baby, fetus, health, women