Vaping and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Women of Childbearing Age

Evidence for Smoking Cessation in SLE

Lifestyle modification with smoking cessation is explicitly recommended as beneficial for patient outcomes and should be strongly encouraged in all SLE patients, according to the European League Against Rheumatism 1, 2, 3
Tobacco use is categorized alongside other high-risk factors, such as hypertension and obesity, when counseling women with SLE about contraception and pregnancy planning, as recommended by the European League Against Rheumatism 4

Smoking negatively impacts fertility, which is particularly relevant for women of childbearing age who already face multiple fertility challenges from SLE and its treatments, as noted by the American College of Rheumatology 4

Latin American, African-descendant, and Native American women develop SLE earlier, experience more severe disease, have higher disease activity levels, accrue more organ damage, and have higher mortality rates, according to the American College of Rheumatology 6

Tobacco exposure compounds existing fertility risks from disease activity, lupus nephritis, and immunosuppressive medications, as reported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 4
Complete abstinence from nicotine is mandatory for women who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or at risk for unintended pregnancy, as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 5

The American College of Rheumatology recommends complete cessation of all nicotine-containing products, including vaping devices, and addressing this at every clinical encounter 1, 2, 3