HHS HealthBeat (September 16, 2008)

Did your doctor tell you not to smoke?

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Smoking is bad for you. And many pregnant women realize smoking is dangerous for them and for their babies. Smoking raises the risk of preterm delivery, stillbirth, and sudden infant death syndrome.

A researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at data on smoking patterns of pregnant women in New Jersey. Van Tong found almost half of the smokers quit before they started prenatal care.

But Tong found only about 5 percent quit after starting prenatal care. And she says only about 57 percent said their doctor had counseled them to quit. She thinks the doctors who don’t – should:

``More work is needed to increase the knowledge, promotion and referral of effective cessation programs for pregnant women.’’ (6 seconds)

The study is in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September, 16 2008