Large cohort study found no clear link between maternal use of quit smoking medicines and major birth defects
Reassuring new evidence about the safety of smoking cessation pharmacotherapies during pregnancy
June 2025
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NDARC researchers Associate Professor Alys Havard and Dr Duong Tran wrote about their multinational cohort study on the use of smoking cessation pharmacotherapies during pregnancy for MJA InSight+.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found no evidence of an increased risk of major birth defects of any type among babies born to women who used these medicines compared to those whose women smoked in early pregnancy but did not use these therapies.
Dr Tran said their findings should reassure pregnant women who need help quitting smoking, and help healthcare providers better support women to make informed choices about smoking cessation therapies.
You can read the full article on MJA InSight+.
