[Smoking-free environment in the Norwegian delivery institutions--where are we now?]

Abstract

A questionnaire was sent to all 68 registered delivery units in Norway, in order to investigate the policy on smoking for employees and for pregnant and puerperal women. The response rate after one reminder was 82.3%. The main finding was that a majority (2/3) of Norwegian delivery units have already introduced a total ban on smoking for all employees, and increasingly so since 1990. Another seven hospital had made but not yet implemented the decision. As regards pregnant and puerperal women, more than half of the units had implemented a non-smoking policy. Information on the health hazards of smoking during pregnancy was routine in more than half of the units, and information on the impact of smoking on infants during the first year of life was given as a routine at about 1/3 of the units. We conclude that our results are positive, and provided that the delivery units continue to become smoke-free at the same rate as during the last three years, all Norwegian delivery units can be expected to be smoke-free for both pregnant and puerperal women and employees by 1997-98. Delivery units possess a unique opportunity to provide information on smoking and health hazards during pregnancy, and on risk to infants during the first years of life. This potential has not yet been fully utilised.