Possible Teratogenicand long term Effects of Nicotine

Abstract

Background:In addition to increasing the likelihood of negative health outcomes in adult children, cigarette smoking during pregnancy is linked to a plethora of obstetrical, fetal, and developmental issues. An alternative to smoking that is safer for pregnant women is nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which was developed as a pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Very few short-term human trials have assessed the safety of NRT usage during pregnancy; however, data about the long-term impacts of developing nicotine exposure in humans is now unavailable. Nevertheless, research on animals has shown that nicotine is a crucial component in many of the negative consequences of maternal cigarette smoking on children. These consequences include infertility, type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal brain development, and breathing problems.