Abstract
Objectives The current study is the first to assess pregnant women’s perceptions of e-cigarettes and the prevalence of e-cigarette use during pregnancy, using a national sample of pregnant women (N = 445) recruited online. Methods An online survey was used to assess the prevalence and perceptions of e-cigarette use among pregnant women, including perceptions of e-cigarette safety. Results In our sample, 5.62% (n = 25) of women solely used tobacco cigarettes, 6.52% (n = 29) solely used e-cigarettes, 8.54% (n = 38) used both tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and 79.33% (n = 353) used neither tobacco cigarettes nor e-cigarettes during their current pregnancy. Overall, 64.27% (n = 286) of participants viewed e-cigarettes as being safer than tobacco cigarettes. Having seen advertisements for e-cigarettes increased likelihood of viewing them as safer than tobacco cigarettes (OR [Odds Ratio] = 2.5, p < .01). Conclusions for Practice Taken together, findings from this study suggest that at least as many women use e-cigarettes during pregnancy as tobacco cigarettes, that pregnant women view e-cigarettes as being safer than tobacco cigarettes, and that these views may be influenced by exposure to e-cigarette advertisements.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute and FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) Grant No. 5P50CA180907. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration.
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Wagner, N.J., Camerota, M. & Propper, C. Prevalence and Perceptions of Electronic Cigarette Use during Pregnancy. Matern Child Health J 21, 1655–1661 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2257-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2257-9