THE PREGNANT SMOKERS EXPERIENCE OF ANTENATAL CARE - RESULTS FROM A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Objectives - 1) To obtain insight into pregnant smokers' experience of the information received from doctor and midwife at the ante-natal cl inic. 2) To develop an understanding of pregnant women's own ideas of how health personnel can help them stop smoking. Design - Qualitative study with strategic sampling. 33 pregnant smokers took part in an in- depth interview in the third trimester. Setting - Home of patients, or surgeries in Hordaland county, Norway. Participants - Daily smokers d uring the last three months before conception, and still smoking in th e 16th-18th meek of pregnancy. Results - Pregnant women lacking motiva tion to stop smoking seemed to be most satisfied with ante-natal care. The women interviewed saw doctors and midwives as responsible for rai sing the subject of smoking, and blamed them for disinterest. The find ings suggest that pregnant smokers may be classified into four categor ies (''it could have been worse'', ''self-delusion'', ''self-confident '', and ''rational''), and that intervention should be tailored to mee t each woman's perception of control over smoking behaviour.