Nicotine patches safer than smoking

NICOTINE patches and other tobacco replacements have been proven to be safer than smoking for pregnant women, despite a quarter of doctors claiming they never prescribe the treatments.

A report released this week in the Medical Journal of

Australia shows nicotinereplacement therapy is far less harmful for unborn babies and mothers than previously thought. The review found the lower levels of nicotine associated with treatments had no clear harmful effect on foetuses and helped reduce instances of more harmful smoking habits.

Quit Victoria director Dr Sarah White said pregnant women should always try to quit smoking through behaviour before moving to patches and other treatments.

“But if that’s not working for them, pregnant women should not be concerned about using nicotine-replacement products, as well,” she said.

“While nicotine-replacement products do contain nicotine, unlike cigarettes they don’t contain thousands of cancer-causing toxic chemicals like tar and carbon monoxide, so they’re nowhere near as harmful as smoking for the woman or unborn child.”

The review states a survey of Australian general practitioners and obstetricians found 25 per cent never prescribed nicotine replacement during pregnancy.

“Nicotine may not be completely safe for the pregnant mother and foetus, but it is always safer than smoking,” lead author and treatment specialist Dr Yael Bar-Zeev wrote.