SMOKING-HABITS AMONG PREGNANT-WOMEN IN NORWAY 1994-95

Aims. To investigate the smoking prevalence the last three months befo re pregnancy and at 18 weeks of gestation among women in Norway and to evaluate the impact of pre-pregnancy smoking habits, maternal age, le vel of education, civil status and parity on smoking cessation. Materi al and methods. A prospective, multicenter survey. The study populatio n included 4766 pregnant women who attended a routine ultrasound exami nation at 18 weeks of pregnancy in six Norwegian hospitals during the period from September 1994 to March 1995. Smoking habits before and du ring pregnancy were recorded. Results. The point prevalence of self-re ported daily smoking among the women three months before the pregnancy was 34%. At 18 weeks of pregnancy, 21% of the women reported smoking daily (p<0.001). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that a low number of cigarettes smoked per day during the last three month s before pregnancy was the best predictor for smoking cessation. Educa tional level, maternal age, parity and civil status were also statisti cally significant contributors to smoking cessation. Eighty percent of the women who were unable to stop smoking, reported a reduction in ci garette consumption. The mean number of cigarettes per day was reduced from 13.9 before pregnancy to 7.3 al 18 weeks of pregnancy (p<0.001). Conclusion. In a national survey, 21% of the pregnant women reported smoking daily in the second trimester. Thirty-eight percent of the wom en who were daily smokers before the pregnancy stopped smoking in earl y pregnancy. A low cigarette consumption prior to the pregnancy was th e best predictor for smoking cessation.