Evaluation of the impact of current antismoking advice in the UK on women with planned pregnancies.

Smoking during pregnancy (active or passive) is associated with increased health risks to the unborn child. Current policy on antismoking advice for pregnant women in the United Kingdom is based essentially on written information by means of leaflets given to them at the first antenatal visit. We evaluated the impact of this policy on the smoking habits of pregnant women. A sample of 180 women with planned pregnancies attending antenatal clinics at two teaching hospitals in North London was recruited over a 6-month period. All women were provided with the current antismoking counselling at their first visit at the end of the first trimester and asked to fill in a questionnaire around mid-gestation. The study population included 117 (65%) women who did not currently smoke (non-smokers) and 63 (35%) who were active smokers at the beginning of their pregnancy. Thirty-nine non-smokers were found to be passive smokers. Three women took up smoking during pregnancy. Among the smokers, 53 (84.1%) women made no change in their smoking behaviour during pregnancy, seven (11.1%) reduced their cigarette consumption and only three (4.8%) gave up smoking during the first half of pregnancy. None of the partners changed their smoking habits. All women were aware that smoking in pregnancy could be deleterious to their health and that of their fetus. Despite awareness of dangers of smoking, the prevalence of smoking among pregnant women remains very high after the first antenatal visit and the current antismoking policy based essentially on leaflets is not effective. Health-care professionals should spend more time to inform women adequately about the dangers of smoking and help them to quit before pregnancy.