Efficacy and effectiveness of the smoking cessation program for pregnant women

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of randomized trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-smoking counseling in the population of pregnant women from the maternity centers in Lódź, central Poland.

Materials and methods: One hundred and forty nine current smokers and 56 spontaneous quitters were randomized into the smoking cessation intervention and 144 current smokers and 37 spontaneous quitters were included in the control group. The intervention program covered four midwife visits during pregnancy and one after delivery. The control units received standard written information about the health risk from maternal smoking to the fetus.

Results: The chance of quitting smoking by the women was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (OR = 2.5; 95% CI 1.8-3.7). The difference in the mean infant birthweight between the quitters and non-quitters was 203.8 g (p = 0.01) in the intervention group and 198.2 g in the control group (p = 0.08). After controlling for socio-demographic characteristics that could affect the birthweight, the differences remained significant in the intervention group - 182.8 g (p = 0.02), whereas in the control group it was 92.4 g (p = 0.4).

Conclusions: The midwife-assisted smoking cessation intervention seems to be an effective tool to help pregnant smokers make a decision to quit smoking.