Postpartum smoking relapse.
While it has been established that many women quit smoking during pregnancy, little is known about postpartum maintenance of smoking cessation and relapse. A sample of 567 women were surveyed at about 6 months postpartum in order to (a) describe the patterns of smoking relapse; (b) assess the perceived importance of smoking cessation in pregnancy and postpartum; and (c) identify potentially high risk situations for smoking relapse. Results indicate that about half (56%) of the women who quit smoking during pregnancy relapse to smoking by 30 days postpartum. Most of these relapses occur in the company of other smokers. Socializing and/or living with a smoker had a powerful negative impact on ability to maintain abstinence in postpartum. Smoking cessation programs for pregnant women should emphasize the importance of continued abstinence in postpartum.
McBride
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CM
Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Minneapolis 55455.
Pirie
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PL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention