Vaping, fertility and pregnancy: what we know

Vaping is much less harmful than smoking, and if a vape helps you stop smoking, that’s one of the best things you can do for your fertility and your pregnancy. But vaping is unlikely to be completely risk-free, so if you don’t smoke, it’s best not to start. Here’s what’s known so far.

How smoking affects fertility and pregnancy

Smoking makes it harder to get pregnant, for women and for men:

In women, it can make it harder for an embryo to implant in the womb, and can lead to shorter and more variable cycles.
In men, it can mean fewer sperm, and sperm that are less able to move well or fertilise an egg.
The more you smoke, the longer it may take to get pregnant, and smoking may make fertility treatment such as IVF less likely to work. Stopping improves your chances.

In pregnancy, stopping smoking reduces the risk of complications and stillbirth, makes it less likely your baby will be born too early or with a low birthweight, and reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Other people’s smoke matters too. Secondhand smoke can reduce your baby’s birthweight and increase the risk of SIDS, and breathing it in may make it harder to get pregnant.

Is vaping safer than smoking?

Yes. Vapes don’t produce tar or carbon monoxide, the 2 main toxins in cigarette smoke, and the NHS says current evidence shows they’re much less risky than smoking. The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group, which brings together UK health organisations, says that in the short and medium term vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking.

So far, regular vaping in pregnancy doesn’t appear to harm women or their babies. But that doesn’t mean it’s risk-free, particularly for people who have never smoked.

Vaping when you’re trying to conceive

There’s much less research on vaping and fertility than on smoking. A health minister said in a written answer in November 2025 that the current evidence is clear that vaping is safer than smoking, including the impact on fertility and pregnancy. Tommy’s says vaping is far less harmful than smoking.

In practice that means:

If you smoke, stopping completely, with a vape if that helps, is likely to be better for your chances than carrying on smoking.
If you don’t smoke, don’t start vaping.
If your partner smokes, it helps if they stop too, because smoking affects sperm.

Stopping smoking in pregnancy

Licensed nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches, gum and inhalators, is the recommended option for stopping smoking in pregnancy. A GP or NHS stop smoking adviser can prescribe it, or you can buy it from a pharmacy. If you have pregnancy sickness, patches may suit you better. Use patches for no more than 16 hours in any 24 hours. Stop smoking tablets such as varenicline, bupropion or cytisine aren’t recommended in pregnancy.

Vapes can help too. A 2022 trial in pregnant smokers (Hajek et al.) suggested vapes may work better for stopping smoking than nicotine patches. If you choose to use a vape and it helps you stop smoking, the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group says you should be supported to do so.

A few practical points:

Vapes aren’t available on NHS prescription, but you can still get free help from a stop smoking adviser if you want to use one. Some stop smoking services give free vapes to pregnant women, so it’s worth asking.
Avoid liquorice-flavoured vape liquids and nicotine products while you’re pregnant.
Single-use (disposable) vapes have been banned from sale across the UK since 1 June 2025, so you’ll need a reusable one.

Free help to stop

You’re twice as likely to stop smoking if you get support from a trained adviser. NHS stop smoking services offer 1-to-1 or group sessions, help with things like stress and weight gain, and support with using NRT. Your midwife or GP can refer you.

Your midwife will usually offer you a carbon monoxide (CO) breath test. In England, some maternity services (78 of 120 trusts at last count) offer shopping vouchers of up to £400 in total across pregnancy and the first months after birth if you stay smoke-free, checked with CO breath tests. Ask your midwife if your area takes part.

In England, the National Smokefree helpline is 0300 123 1044 (9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday). In Wales, Help Me Quit is 0800 085 2219. In Scotland, Quit Your Way is 0800 84 84 84. In Northern Ireland, your midwife or GP can put you in touch with your local stop smoking service.

Questions people ask

Is vaping safe when you’re pregnant?

It’s much less risky than smoking, and regular vaping in pregnancy doesn’t appear to harm women or babies so far. But it’s unlikely to be completely risk-free, so if you don’t smoke, don’t start.

Does vaping affect fertility?

There’s much less research on vaping than on smoking. A health minister said in 2025 that the evidence is clear that vaping is safer than smoking, including for fertility and pregnancy. Smoking clearly makes it harder to get pregnant, for both women and men.

Can I use nicotine patches while pregnant?

Yes, if they help you stop smoking. Talk to a midwife, GP, pharmacist or stop smoking adviser first, and use patches for no more than 16 hours in any 24 hours.

Is it better to vape or use patches in pregnancy?

Licensed NRT is the recommended first option, but a 2022 trial suggested vapes may work better than patches for stopping smoking in pregnancy. Either is much better than carrying on smoking, and a stop smoking adviser can help you choose.