Vaping in pregnancy and its association with birth outcomes (VIPS)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring vaping, smoking and no use of these products in pregnancy
IRAS ID
352519
Contact name
Allison Ford
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Stirling
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Vaping is popular and, in the UK, is currently recommended to pregnant women who smoke, as a way to help them stop smoking, where other options have not helped. However, there is little good quality evidence on the effects of vaping in pregnancy, and how the effects compare to those of smoking or neither smoking nor vaping. The research aim is to compare the birth outcomes (primarily birth weight and preterm birth) among pregnant women who either-
1. Exclusively smoke cigarettes
2. Exclusively vape
3. Have never smoked nor vaped.
Pregnant women attending Greater Manchester antenatal services will be invited to participate. If women agree and consent, they will be asked to complete 3 short questionnaires at 3 time points during their pregnancy (14 weeks or under; around 24 weeks; and around 36 weeks). The questionnaires will ask about use of vapes, other tobacco and nicotine products and alcohol, currently and in recent months. We will ask questions about the women’s demographic backgrounds to help us understand differences in birth outcomes in different sub-groups. We will verify group assignment to the above three groups based on tests results routinely collected in clinic (exhaled carbon monoxide). The only other test researchers will ask participants to do at home will be a simple saliva test to verify exclusive vaping/smoking abstinence. This will be requested in 10% of those in both groups 2 and 3. The saliva test can be done by women themselves at home, and they will be provided with a stamped-addressed envelope to return the sample (using a unique identifying number) to a laboratory. We will compare birth outcomes by product (vapes/cigarettes/no use) use.
This study will also help us to understand the most suitable ways to monitor vaping amongst pregnant women, to help us collect longer-term information about vaping behaviour and outcomes.REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
25/WA/0111
Date of REC Opinion
31 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion