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Nicotine patch while pregnant?



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 11th 08, 01:52 AM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Kat
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Posts: 177
Default Nicotine patch while pregnant?

I'm just wondering if anyone knows anything about this.
I find I am getting mixed messages and answers wherever I look.
I ended up finding a (somewhat) local study about using a nicotine patch
while pregnant...
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/uofcpubl...12-07/nicotine
To my understanding, it basically says that a patch might be a safe
alternative to smoking while pregnant (I mean to use a nicotine patch to
quit smoking while pregnant, rather than continue to smoke during pregnancy)
The box for like Nicoderm, or whatever kind of nicotine patch, says not to
use while breastfeeding or pregnant. It (obviously) doesn't say why.
Today at my appointment, I specifically asked. My OB said she doesn't
recommend it. To me, that isn't a yes or a no answer. Just that she
doesn't recommend it. She also didn't say why or anything like that. By
saying she doesn't recommend it, to me, that seems like she's NOT saying,
"Oh yes, go ahead and give it a shot!" or "No, no, don't do it!"

So I called the local 'Smoker's Help Line' to ask about this. See if I can
get an actual yes or no as to if a nicotine patch is alright, and why.
I was transferred to the 24 hour health line run by nurses and gave up being
on hold after about 10 or so minutes and decided I'd wait until later
tonight when it won't be so busy to get through to someone.

Does anyone know anything about a nicotine patch during pregnancy?


  #2  
Old November 11th 08, 02:57 AM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Jamie Clark
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Posts: 855
Default Nicotine patch while pregnant?

I think it's like the lessor of two evils. We all know you shouldn't smoke
while pregnant (or at all), and yet some people do. If your choice is smoke
while pregnant, or use a nicotine patch to try to quit while pregnant, then
obviously the patch is better than a cigarette. Cold turkey is better yet,
but a hellofa lot harder. But no doctor is going to say to you that it's a
great idea to go on the patch while pregnant, because if your baby were to
have ANY sort of physical anomoly or issue, you could then blame the
nicotine, and them, for saying it was okay.

Make sense? I think this is one of those issues where you are going to have
to make your own decision, and are not going to be able to get the hard and
fast answer you are looking for.
--

Jamie Clark

www.ClarkDigitalArts.com

"Kat" wrote in message
...
I'm just wondering if anyone knows anything about this.
I find I am getting mixed messages and answers wherever I look.
I ended up finding a (somewhat) local study about using a nicotine patch
while pregnant...
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/uofcpubl...12-07/nicotine
To my understanding, it basically says that a patch might be a safe
alternative to smoking while pregnant (I mean to use a nicotine patch to
quit smoking while pregnant, rather than continue to smoke during
pregnancy)
The box for like Nicoderm, or whatever kind of nicotine patch, says not to
use while breastfeeding or pregnant. It (obviously) doesn't say why.
Today at my appointment, I specifically asked. My OB said she doesn't
recommend it. To me, that isn't a yes or a no answer. Just that she
doesn't recommend it. She also didn't say why or anything like that. By
saying she doesn't recommend it, to me, that seems like she's NOT saying,
"Oh yes, go ahead and give it a shot!" or "No, no, don't do it!"

So I called the local 'Smoker's Help Line' to ask about this. See if I
can get an actual yes or no as to if a nicotine patch is alright, and why.
I was transferred to the 24 hour health line run by nurses and gave up
being on hold after about 10 or so minutes and decided I'd wait until
later tonight when it won't be so busy to get through to someone.

Does anyone know anything about a nicotine patch during pregnancy?



  #3  
Old November 11th 08, 10:32 PM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Anne Rogers
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Posts: 1,497
Default Nicotine patch while pregnant?


Does anyone know anything about a nicotine patch during pregnancy?


What I know is that there are definite risks from smoking, almost
anything that stops you from smoking is better than smoking - but it is
a wavy line, I know one person who managed to cut her pregnancy smoking
to 2 per day, down from 15 a day, chances are, that may well have been
better than the usual nicotine patch dose, but cutting down doesn't work
for everyone and having no cigarettes in the house at all is more
acheivable.

A few years ago I was part of a health and wellbeing working group, one
of the things we did look at was smoking in pregnancy, from the
perspective of the desire to quit and sucess in quitting and the kind of
help that was available, that kind of thing. One thing that was very
clear was that there was a strong desire to quit in pregnancy, but the
rate of actually quitting was really very little better than quitting at
any other time, which was in direct opposition to what caregivers
thought (who were usually non smokers), which was that if the desire to
quit was that strong then it should be doable by willpower alone - which
may be the approach your OB is taking, that she desires you to quit, but
isn't really prepared to work with you on that other than to tell you
all the bad things about smoking, which isn't exactly a very helpful
approach.

You know yourself best, you know how many you smoke, as the study you
linked to says, it's not just the nicotine in cigarettes that harming
the baby and that may be one of the least harmful aspects of it. I'd
look at the doses on the packet and find out how much is in each
cigarette and make sure you only use the number of patches that doesn't
end up increasing your nicotine intake. I'd also see if there were any
stop smoking groups you can join where you can meet with other people
trying to do the same thing. Also, if it helps now, set yourself the
goal of giving up for the pregnancy as short term goals generally tend
to be more sucessful than giving up for life.

I'd try calling that helpline and ask if they have any local information
for your area about groups and whatnot.

Good Luck

Anne
 




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