INDIVIDUALIZED SMOKING CESSATION COUNSELING DURING PRENATAL AND EARLY POSTNATAL CARE

OBJECTIVE: We examined the efficacy of individualized smoking cessation counseling added to obstetricians' and nurse-midwives' advice. STUDY DESIGN: In a mixed private and publicly supported prenatal clinic 600 pregnant women who smoked were randomly assigned to receive the usual advice from their obstetrician or nurse-midwife or the usual advice plus individualized smoking cessation counseling. Smoking status was measured by self-report and urinary cotinine/creatinine ratios at 36 weeks and by self-report during long-term postpartum follow-up. RESULTS: Quitting rates during pregnancy were not increased by adding individualized smoking cessation counseling to usual care. At the long-term follow-up, reported quitting rates were significantly greater among intervention group women cared for in the publicly supported clinic than among those receiving the usual care, 14.5% versus 2.5%, p < 0.01. CONCLUSION: Although adding individual smoking cessation counseling did not increase quitting rates during pregnancy, it should be considered for women in public maternity clinics because of its potential long-term effectiveness.