NIH awards US$2.3 million to study e-cigarette use during pregnancy and its impact on offspring

Blue Hole New Consumption reported on September 24 that, according to Vapingpost, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $2.3 million grant to the renowned Lundquist Institute in the United States to study the multigenerational risks of developing asthma through e-cigarette use during pregnancy.

Scientific research has consistently shown that smoking during pregnancy may increase the risk of asthma in children. Furthermore, these offspring often pass this risk on to their own children, regardless of whether they smoke themselves.

Other studies, such as one published earlier this year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and another published in BMC Pulmonary Medicine last October, have also indicated a link between exhalation and asthma. However, these findings were based on self-reported data from telephone surveys and are not considered entirely reliable.

Given the exponential increase in smoking and the fact that in most countries, pregnant women who fail to quit smoking through other means are encouraged to switch to e-cigarettes, this topic has become an important area of research.

To this end, researchers at the Lundquist Institute have received a $2.3 million grant from the NIH to study the effects of smoking during pregnancy on multiple generations. Dr. Rehan from the institute stated, "These studies will enhance our understanding of the multigenerational risks of smoking and will help inform regulatory policies related to smoking."

The aim of this research is to determine whether e-cigarette vapor increases the risk of asthma in offspring of pregnant mice.

Researchers will also examine whether e-cigarette nicotine and flavoring agents have any independent effects on the risk of asthma in offspring by looking for any potential changes in the viability of reproductive cells and epigenetic memory.

Dr. Rehan pointed out that there has been a common misconception that e-cigarettes are relatively safe compared to smoking. These studies will enhance our understanding of the risks of e-cigarettes for offspring and will help provide information for regulatory policies regarding exposure to e-cigarette nicotine and flavoring due to smoking.