SMOKING AND SMOKING RELAPSE DURING PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM - RESULTSOF A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe women's smoking experience during pregnancy and postpartum. Primiparous women recruite d during a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of postpartum visiting were invited to participate in a qualitative study . Methods: A semistructured protocol guided the face-to-face interview . Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Data were coded independ ently by the authors, and the final coding system for emergent themes was developed through a consensus process. Results: Of the 47 women in vited to participate, 22 agreed to be interviewed. Three major themes emerged from the analysis: pregnancy as a context for stopping smoking , returning to smoking, and social pressures on smoking behavior. Conc erns about the baby's health were cited as central reasons for stoppin g. Breastfeeding provided a reason for continued smoking cessation, wh ereas social events often demarcated a resumption of women's smoking c hoices. Conclusions: Results provide guidance for the timing and conte nt of interventions to prevent smoking relapse.