Smoking cessation in pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
Pregnant women who continue to smoke expose their developing fetus to a wide range of risks. Assisting these patients to stop smoking can be an important intervention for the health of the baby and the mother. The management of pregnant smokers can be challenging, due to the potential risks of pharmacotherapy. There are a number of options available to the clinician to aid smoking cessation in non pregnant women. These include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion, varenicline, and a range of non-drug therapies.


OBJECTIVE
To provide guidance to prescribers on the best way to manage smoking cessation in the pregnant patient, reviewing the risks and efficacy of the different approaches.


METHODS
An extensive literature search was carried out to find original studies which examined issues surrounding the safety and efficacy of methods of smoking cessation in pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
NRT is the agent of choice for smoking cessation in pregnancy as the safety of other therapies in pregnancy have not yet been proved.
Rore
Craig
C
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Medicines Information, Department of Pharmacy, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZN, UK. craig.rore@nhs.net
Brace
Vicki
V
Danielian
Peter
P
Williams
David
D
D000818:Animals; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016642:Bupropion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000068580:Varenicline
D001552:Benzazepines; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D016642:Bupropion; D009538:Nicotine; D000068580:Varenicline