NCT04033237

Brief Summary

Study 2 will evaluate the effects of extended exposure to cigarettes with varying levels of nicotine in pregnant smokers who have less than an Associate's degree. This study will be limited to two conditions: usual brand vs. 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco. After a baseline period in which daily smoking rate and other baseline assessments are completed, participants will be randomly (by chance) assigned to either their usual brand or the very low nicotine content condition and followed for 12 weeks.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
30

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for phase_1

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2019

Longer than P75 for phase_1

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 23, 2019

Completed
3 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 26, 2019

Completed
26 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 21, 2019

Completed
4.7 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

April 17, 2024

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

August 19, 2024

Completed
1.2 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

October 30, 2025

Completed
Last Updated

October 30, 2025

Status Verified

October 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

4.7 years

First QC Date

July 23, 2019

Results QC Date

September 9, 2025

Last Update Submit

October 16, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

Biomarkers of exposureCompensatory smokingNicotine dependenceReduced nicotine cigarettesTobacco withdrawalWomenPregnancyHealth disparitiesVulnerable populations

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Total Cigarettes Per Day

    12 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Very low nicotine content cigarettes

EXPERIMENTAL
Other: Very low nicotine content cigarettes

Usual Brand

NO INTERVENTION

Interventions

Cigarettes containing 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco

Very low nicotine content cigarettes

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 44 Years
Sexfemale
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Female
  • Ages 18-44 years
  • Gestational age ≤ 25 weeks

You may not qualify if:

  • Male
  • Under 18 years old
  • Over 44 years old
  • Gestational age \> 25 weeks

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

University of Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky, 40536, United States

Location

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont, 05401, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Heil SH, Kock LS, Harfmann RF, Ashford KB, Barnett J, McCubbin A, DeSarno MJ, Higgins ST. Pilot randomized clinical trial examining use of very low nicotine content cigarettes during pregnancy in the United States. Prev Med. 2025 Dec;201:108351. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2025.108351. Epub 2025 Jul 5.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tobacco Use Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Substance-Related DisordersChemically-Induced DisordersMental Disorders

Limitations and Caveats

The sample included participants who smoke more than is typical during pregnancy and the sample size (N=30) was small. Study generality may be limited by the high smoking rate and the small sample size.

Results Point of Contact

Title
Sarah H. Heil, PhD
Organization
University of Vermont

Study Officials

  • Sarah H. Heil

    University of Vermont

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 1
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Professor

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 23, 2019

First Posted

July 26, 2019

Study Start

August 21, 2019

Primary Completion

April 17, 2024

Study Completion

August 19, 2024

Last Updated

October 30, 2025

Results First Posted

October 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-10

Locations