Snuff Use During Pregnancy Is Harmful to Newborns

　
Study Shows Smokeless Tobacco Increases Risk That Newborns Will Have Breathing Pauses in Sleep

　　Aug. 29, 2011 -- Most moms-to-be are aware that you shouldn't smoke during pregnancy, but some have a hard time kicking the habit. Some turn to smokeless tobacco like snuff or other nicotine-replacement products.
But these products -- and the nicotine they release - are harmful for newborns, a study suggests.
The study is published in Pediatrics.

　　Snuff is a fine-grain tobacco that users "dip" between their lower lip and gum. The new study took place in Sweden where many people use snuff.
Using snuff during pregnancy may increase a newborn's risk for brief pauses in breathing during sleep (called sleep apnea) even more so than smoking cigarettes.
Michael Siegel, MD, the associate chairman of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, says we are not just talking about snuff. "The new study has broader implications."
It's the nicotine, not the way it is delivered, that may increase health risks in newborns, says Siegel. Siegel reviewed the study for WebMD.
These same risks may hold for other smokeless tobacco products and nicotine replacement therapy, he says. "Some doctors do tell pregnant women to quit smoking with nicotine replacement products."
"A cold turkey approach is what is called for among pregnant women," he says.