September 21, 2010 - Snus, a moist form of smokeless tobacco that is consumed by placing it under the lip, is generally perceived as less harmful and more “socially acceptable” than cigarettes.  Given this view, pregnant women may use snus as a “safer alternative” to cigarettes during their pregnancy, unaware of the impact it may be having on their health and the health of their baby.  While evidence has shown that smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, and stillbirth, little is known about the risks of using snus during pregnancy.  However, a Swedish study published in the journal Epidemiology has recently investigated these risks and has found that women who use snus during pregnancy are at an increased risk of preterm delivery.

For the study, researchers used the birth register information of approximately 611,000 women who were pregnant between 1999 and 2006.  Of these women, 58,502 were smokers and 7,629 used snus.  Study results showed that women who reported using snus during their pregnancy had a 60% higher risk of having a stillbirth than those who did not use any tobacco products.  For light smokers this risk was 40% and for heavy smokers this risk was more than double the risk associated with non-users of tobacco.  Among the women who used snus during pregnancy, 0.5% had a stillbirth compared to only 0.3% of those women who did not use any tobacco products.  Among smokers, 0.7% of heavy smokers and 0.4% of light smokers had a stillbirth.

This study shows that snus is not a safe alternative to cigarettes, especially for pregnant women.  As lead researcher, Dr. Anna-Karin Wikstrom, has explained, “using moist snuff is not a safe way to quit smoking when you are pregnant.”  These results have shown that in addition to smoking cigarettes, using snus also increases the risk of stillbirth, proving that neither option is safe for pregnant women.

For more information please visit: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68G4RV20100917