Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use and Pregnancy II: Perinatal Outcomes Following ENDS Use During Pregnancy

Purpose of review: This review examines the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes following electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use during pregnancy, and considers whether there are sufficient data to support ENDS as a harm reduction approach during pregnancy.

Recent findings: Seven papers assessed perinatal outcomes following ENDS use during pregnancy. There was evidence that ENDS use was associated with increased risk for some adverse perinatal outcomes (e.g., small for gestational age). However, the repeated use of data sets, insufficient data (e.g., timing of ENDS use, type of ENDS products used), and limited samples size, contributed to mixed findings on the degree to which ENDS use (alone or in combination with combustible cigarettes (CC)) impacts the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes relative to CC smoking alone.

Summary: The current data are still insufficient to support ENDS as a harm reduction approach, though findings do warrant concern and more detailed investigation of ENDS use during pregnancy. Future research directions, as well as implications for clinical recommendations and tobacco regulatory science are discussed.