In Utero Exposure to Maternal Electronic Nicotine Delivery System use Demonstrate Alterations to Craniofacial Development

Objective: Develop a model for the study of Electronic Nicotine Device (ENDS) exposure on craniofacial development. Design: Experimental preclinical design followed as pregnant murine dams were randomized and exposed to filtered air exposure, carrier exposure consisting of 50% volume of propylene glycol and vegetable glycine (ENDS Carrier) respectively, or carrier exposure with 20 mg/ml of nicotine added to the liquid vaporizer (ENDS carrier with nicotine). Setting: Preclinical murine model exposure using the SciReq exposure system. Participants: C57BL6 adult 8 week old female pregnant mice and exposed in utero litters. Interventions: Exposure to control filtered air, ENDS carrier or ENDS carrier with nicotine added throughout gestation at 1 puff/minute, 4 h/day, five days a week. Main Outcome Measures: Cephalometric measures of post-natal day 15 pups born as exposed litters. Results: Data suggests alterations to several facial morphology parameters in the developing offspring, suggesting electronic nicotine device systems may alter facial growth if used during pregnancy. Conclusions: Future research should concentrate on varied formulations and exposure regimens of ENDS to determine timing windows of exposures and ENDS formulations that may be harmful to craniofacial development.