Nicotine gum might help pregnant women to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke, which could reduce their risk of having premature or low-birthweight infants.
The study published in the journal — Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Researchers started the study to estimate the safety and efficacy of treatment with 2-mg nicotine gum for smoking cessation during pregnancy.
Pregnant women who smoked daily received individualized behavioral counseling and random assignment to a 6-week treatment with 2-mg nicotine gum or placebo followed by a 6-week taper period. Women who did not quit smoking were instructed to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked by substituting with gum. Measures of tobacco exposure were obtained throughout the study.
Participants in the nicotine and placebo groups were comparable in age, race/ethnicity, and smoking history. Biochemically validated smoking-cessation rates were not significantly higher with nicotine gum compared with placebo.
Using a completer analysis, nicotine gum significantly reduced the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Birth weights were significantly greater with nicotine gum compared with placebo. Gestational age was also greater with nicotine-replacement therapy than with placebo.
Researchers concluded that Although nicotine gum did not increase quit rates, use of nicotine gum increased birth weight and gestational age, two key parameters in predicting neonatal wellbeing.
Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology, USA