Vaping Inhalation Consequences on Placental and Pup Weight to Determine Health Effects During Pregnancy

Kallie J. Schafner*, Elizabeth C. Bowdridge, Ph.D., Timothy R. Nurkiewicz, Ph.D.
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26505

Presentation Category: Science & Techonology (Oral Presentation)

Student’s Major: Chemistry

With the new popularity of electronic cigarette use there has been a corresponding increase of use during pregnancy. This increase is associated with the marketing strategy that e-cigs are safer than regular cigarettes. While advertisements for e-cigs promote them as healthier than regular cigarettes, research has shown that e-cigs still carry health risks. This research aimed to demonstrate the consequences of vaping during gestation on placental and pup weight. The hypothesis is that there will be a lower average pup and placental weight in the JUUL exposed rats. Dams were exposed 6 times between gestational day(GD) 10-19. One puff was released every 120s for a total of 30 puffs. The mean chamber concentration was 3.49x10^6 #/cc with a count median diameter of 3.49nm per particle. Dams were sacrificed 24hours after the last exposure on GD 20. Average pup weight was lower in JUUL exposed dams (3.61±0.11 g; n=5 litters; n=44 pups) compared to the sham-air control group (5.72±0.10 g; n=11 litters; n=81 pups). Placental weight was not different between the JUUL exposed dams and the control group (0.72±0.02 g and 0.87±0.03 g, respectively). Placental efficiency was lower in the exposed than the control group (5.11±0.16 vs. 7.10±0.26 respectively). There was also an average increase in reabsorption sites within the JUUL exposed dams compared to the control (1.33±0.33 and 0.67±0.67 respectively). At this time, we conclude that the use of e-cigs during pregnancy has adverse maternal and fetal health effects that may contribute to the developmental origins of health and disease..

Funding: NIH

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course