Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on the level of risk of vaping on (a) fertility and (b) pregnancy.

The current evidence is clear that vaping is safer than smoking, including the impact on fertility and pregnancy. Smoking affects the ability to conceive for both men and women, with all stages of reproductive function affected by tobacco toxicants. Pregnant women are especially advised to quit smoking, due to the two-fold increased risk of low birthweight, 27% increase in premature birth, 32% increase in miscarriage, and 47% increase in stillbirth.

Whilst research in this area is limited, a study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research found that vaping can be a more effective cessation aid for pregnant women than traditional nicotine replacement therapies, with almost twice as many women in this study quitting smoking with vapes rather than with nicotine patches. Importantly, this study concluded that the safety of vapes for use during pregnancy was similar to that of nicotine patches.

However, the long-term harms of vaping are not fully known. Therefore, non-smokers should not vape.