A new study has found that nicotine patches are safe for both baby and mom, particularly during the third trimester, which is when most smoking-related complications occur.
The small but significant study involved 21 pregnant women who, despite advice from their doctors, continued to smoke at least 15 cigarettes a day into their third trimester. The women were offered a nicotine patch on the first of a four-day hospital stay, and they continued to use the therapy at home for eight consecutive weeks.
The final result: All the babies had normal birth weights. However, all the babies were also born a few weeks premature. The researchers admit the study did not take into account any damage that may have occurred during the first two trimesters when the women were still smoking. Only eight of the 21 women - 38 percent - were smoke-free at the time of delivery.
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A new study has found that nicotine patches are safe for both baby and mom, particularly during the third trimester, which is when most smoking-related complications occur.
The small but significant study involved 21 pregnant women who, despite advice from their doctors, continued to smoke at least 15 cigarettes a day into their third trimester. The women were offered a nicotine patch on the first of a four-day hospital stay, and they continued to use the therapy at home for eight consecutive weeks.
The final result: All the babies had normal birth weights. However, all the babies were also born a few weeks premature. The researchers admit the study did not take into account any damage that may have occurred during the first two trimesters when the women were still smoking. Only eight of the 21 women - 38 percent - were smoke-free at the time of delivery.
November 14, 2009 - 7:36amThis Comment
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