Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI.
Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Coro West, Providence, RI.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2020 Oct 8;22(10):1711-1717. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntz142.
Smoking during pregnancy remains widespread and is causally associated with infant morbidity and mortality. Despite links between menthol cigarette use and decreased smoking cessation, little is known regarding rates or characteristics of pregnant menthol cigarette smokers.
Participants were drawn from two low-income, racially/ethnically diverse cohorts of pregnant smokers recruited from 2006 to 2015 (N = 166, Mage = 25 ± 5). Demographics, menthol cigarette use, daily cigarette use, quit status, and consecutive weeks quit were assessed by prospective interviews. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence. Nicotine levels were assessed via saliva cotinine.
High rates of menthol use were found in both cohorts (85% and 87%). Across both cohorts, menthol smokers were more likely to identify as racial/ethnic minorities, were less educated, and reported lower income than non-menthol smokers (ps < .03). Menthol smokers also reported fewer continuous weeks quit (8.4 vs. 14.5 weeks quit; p < .03) and a tendency toward decreased likelihood of quitting smoking over pregnancy (29% vs. 48%; p < .08) in unadjusted but not in covariate-adjusted analyses. No differences emerged in cigarettes per day, nicotine dependence or nicotine exposure.
We found very high rates of menthol cigarette use in pregnant smokers-particularly among racial/ethnic minority and low socioeconomic status smokers-and some evidence for associations with reduced smoking cessation in pregnancy. Consideration of pregnant smokers as a uniquely vulnerable population is warranted in evaluating regulation of menthol in cigarettes. Further research is needed regarding the impact of menthol on smoking persistence in pregnancy and on maternal and infant health outcomes.
This study highlights high rates of menthol cigarette use in pregnant women in the Northeast, United States, with evidence for higher rates of menthol use among racial/ethnic minority, less educated and low-income pregnant smokers, and preliminary evidence for associations between menthol cigarette use and reduced smoking cessation. Consideration of the effects of menthol on smoking persistence in pregnant women and on the health of their offspring is warranted in the development of regulations regarding menthol in cigarettes.
怀孕期间吸烟仍然很普遍，并且与婴儿发病率和死亡率有因果关系。尽管薄荷醇香烟的使用与戒烟率降低有关，但对于孕妇使用薄荷醇香烟的比率或特征，知之甚少。
参与者来自两个低收入、种族/民族多样化的孕妇吸烟队列，于 2006 年至 2015 年招募（N = 166，Mage = 25 ± 5）。通过前瞻性访谈评估人口统计学、薄荷醇香烟使用、每日香烟使用、戒烟状态和连续戒烟周数。使用尼古丁依赖测试（Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence）评估尼古丁依赖。通过唾液可替宁评估尼古丁水平。
两个队列中都发现了很高的薄荷醇使用率（85%和 87%）。在两个队列中，薄荷醇吸烟者更有可能是种族/少数民族，教育程度较低，收入较低，而非薄荷醇吸烟者（p <.03）。在未调整但未调整协变量的分析中，薄荷醇吸烟者报告的连续戒烟周数较少（8.4 周与 14.5 周戒烟；p <.03），怀孕期间戒烟的可能性降低（29%与 48%；p <.08）。在每天吸烟数量、尼古丁依赖或尼古丁暴露方面没有差异。
我们发现孕妇中薄荷醇香烟使用率非常高-尤其是在种族/少数民族和社会经济地位较低的吸烟者中-并且有一些证据表明与怀孕期间戒烟率降低有关。在评估香烟中薄荷醇的监管时，有必要将孕妇视为一个特别脆弱的群体。需要进一步研究薄荷醇对怀孕期间吸烟持续存在的影响，以及对母婴健康结果的影响。
本研究强调了美国东北部孕妇中薄荷醇香烟使用率较高的情况，有证据表明，在种族/少数民族、受教育程度较低和低收入的孕妇吸烟者中，薄荷醇使用率更高，并且有初步证据表明薄荷醇香烟的使用与戒烟率降低有关。在制定有关香烟中薄荷醇的法规时，有必要考虑薄荷醇对孕妇吸烟持续存在及其后代健康的影响。
