(Trends in smoking during pregnancy in England, 1992-7: quota sampling surveys)
Even though the dangers of smoking are widely established, only one in six women who smoke give up when they become pregnant, claims research conducted by the Health Education Authority and published in this week's BMJ. In 1992 the Health of the Nation public health report set the target that by the year 2000 a third of women who smoke should stop smoking at the start of their pregnancy. Current levels are clearly falling short of this target.
Dr Lesley Owen, who led the research along with colleagues from the Health Education Authority, found that the prevalence of smoking in pregnant women was much the same in 1997 as 1992, with the highest rates among younger women who are either unemployed or manual workers. The researchers also found that only one in ten women who smoked gave up immediately before they became pregnant.
The authors conclude that "...current practice to reduce smoking during pregnancy is either not working or lacks sufficient investment and prioritisation to be effective".
Contact:
Dr Lesley Owen, Senior Research Manager, Health Education Authority, Trevelyan House, London
or
Dean Mahoney, Press Office, HEA