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A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has brought to light a concerning trend among adolescent pregnancies in the United States. The research, analyzing data from the 2016-2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, focused on 10,428 adolescents aged 10-19 who underwent singleton births and provided details about their e-cigarette or cigarette usage during pregnancy.
The findings uncovered a staggering increase in e-cigarette usage among pregnant adolescents during the third trimester. The prevalence surged from 0.8% in 2016 to a concerning 4.1% in 2021. Conversely, the percentage of teens using cigarettes exclusively decreased from 9.2% in 2017 to 3.2% in 2021. The study also observed fluctuations in the percentage of individuals using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes, ranging between 0.6% and 1.6%.
Despite these alarming statistics, the study highlighted that the rate of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births among adolescents who exclusively vaped or used both cigarettes and e-cigarettes did not significantly differ from those who refrained from smoking or vaping (12.9%). However, adolescents using cigarettes exclusively showed a notably higher SGA birth rate of 24.6%.
Dr. Xiaozhong Wen, the corresponding author of the study from the State University of New York at Buffalo, emphasized that while exclusive e-cigarette use and dual usage didn’t exhibit a statistically significant association with SGA birth in their analysis, caution should be exercised due to the low prevalence and limited sample size.
Despite shedding light on this concerning trend, the study also acknowledged certain limitations. Participants might have underreported their vaping and smoking due to social stigma concerns. Additionally, the study lacked crucial information about vaping and smoking habits in the earlier trimesters, exposure to secondhand smoke, cannabis use, and dietary habits.
The research received support from various entities, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the American Heart Association. Notably, a study coauthor disclosed receiving grants from Pfizer and personal fees from Johnson & Johnson, the World Health Organization, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
This study brings to the forefront a growing concern regarding the escalating use of e-cigarettes among pregnant adolescents, emphasizing the need for further research and intervention strategies to address this alarming trend.
