Vaping

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Date: April 2026, Version 1.0

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Vaping is not recommended during pregnancy. Nicotine replacement therapy (including patches, chewing gum, mouth spray, nasal spray and lozenges) can be used if you are trying to stop vaping.

Are there any risks of vaping in pregnancy?

Research has shown that vaping in pregnancy might increase the risk of preterm delivery and low infant birth weight. Other possible effects have not been studied.

Can I use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in pregnancy to help me stop vaping?

Yes. Studies have shown that NRT in the form of patches, chewing gum, mouth spray, or nasal spray do not harm your baby.

Will my baby need extra monitoring during pregnancy?

As part of their routine antenatal care, most women will be offered a scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy to look for birth defects and to check the baby’s growth. 

Your baby will not usually need any extra monitoring due to vaping in pregnancy. 

Are there any risks to my baby if the father vapes?

We would not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father vaped before or around the time you became pregnant.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.

The NHS also has an information leaflet called Stop smoking during pregnancy which includes advice on vaping.

How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?

Our online reporting system (MyBump Portal) allows women who are currently pregnant to create a secure record of their pregnancy, collected through a series of questionnaires. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, your pregnancy outcome and your child's development. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit the MyBump Portal to register.

General information
Sadly, miscarriage and birth defects can occur in any pregnancy.

Miscarriage occurs in about 1 in every 5 pregnancies, and 1 in every 40 babies are born with a birth defect. This is called the ‘background risk’ and happens whether medication is taken or not.

Most medicines cross the placenta and reach the baby. For many medications this is not a problem. However, some medicines can affect a baby’s growth and development.

If you take regular medication and are planning to conceive, you should discuss whether your medicine is safe to continue with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking a medicine, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please make sure that the person prescribing it knows that you are pregnant. If you have any concerns about a medicine, you can check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

Our Bumps information leaflets provide information about the effects of medicines in pregnancy so that you can decide, together with your healthcare provider, what is best for you and your baby.