Nicorette Use During Pregnancy: Risks and Safety Concerns

Question
I have a question. I am a smoker and I need to quit bc I am pregnant. I read how some pregnant girls used Nicorette to quit bc it wasn't as harmful as cigarettes. Now when I read other websites, they say it could cause retardation. I am 4 months pregnant and I'm afraid that my baby will have a problem now because I used it for a decent amount of time to try to quit. Is this true? Does it cause retardation?

Answer
Risks of nicotine use during pregnancy are not known or fully undertstood. Nicorette has less nicotine than cigarette smoking, but it is not advised for use during pregnancy. I can't tell you if there will be any adverse effects on your baby from the use of Nicorette during pregnancy.I would stop it if you are still using it. I saw no evidence of mental retardation in the baby. In fact, there was no mention of the adverse effects noted, just that there may be adverse effects. The use of the gum is safer than the use of cigarettes during pregnancy. Use of tobacco can cause miscarriage, fetal wastage, and stillborn, as well as small-for-gestational age babies.