snus while pregnant?

[NonEntity]

Deebocools I know you are joking but that is one of the real negatives. The infant is born addicted to nicotine and has to go through withdrawal, just like we would. My wife is an OB RN and fetal monitoring instructor, she is recommending quitting for the duration of the pregnancy even if the mother starts again once the baby is born.

[Eidekker]

I prefer not to be a moralist, but would recommend NO snusing during pregnancy.

[deebocools]

I was just poking fun, I think it's clearly morally wrong. It would be wrong for me to force a snus portion in the gums of another person whenver I wanted one, and this is effectively the same thing.

[DarrylR]

One study done in Sweden looked at the birth weight, preterm delivery, and preeclampsia in women who used snuff compared to those who smoked cigarettes, or abstained from nicotine products. The study found that both cigarette smoke and snus use [Swedish snus] were associated with restricted fetal growth and increased the risk of preterm deliverysnuff use was also associated with increased risk of preeclampsia.

Citing:

Adverse pregnancy outcomes in snuff users. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Oct;189(4):939-43.

Abstract:

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of smokeless tobacco use during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: We examined birth weight, preterm delivery, and preeclampsia in women who were delivered of singleton, live-born infants in Sweden from 1999 through 2000. For each snuff user, 10 cigarette smokers and 10 tobacco nonusers were selected randomly. RESULTS: After exclusions, 789 snuff users, 11,240 smokers, and 11,495 nonusers remained. Compared with nonusers, adjusted mean birth weight was reduced in snuff users by 39 g (95% CI, 6-72 g) and in smokers by 190 g (95% CI, 178-202 g). Preterm delivery was increased in snuff users and smokers (adjusted odds ratios, 1.98 [95% CI, 1.46-2.68] and 1.57 [95% CI, 1.38-1.80], respectively). Preeclampsia was reduced in smokers (adjusted odds ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.53-0.75) but increased in snuff users (adjusted odds ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.09-2.27). CONCLUSION: Snuff use was associated with increased risk of preterm delivery and preeclampsia. Snuff does not appear to be a safe alternative to cigarettes during pregnancy.

By the way, make DAMN SURE you're taking a multi-vitamin for the folic acid, iron etc. A lot of studies are finding bigger effects from pre-natal nutrition on childhood IQ tests than from parental genetics or early schooling....