Smoking status in pregnancy is associated with daily stressors and low well-being

Cigarette smoking in pregnancy is one of the main, avoidable hazards for fe tal health. The present study was designed to investigate in pregnant nulli parous women the relationship between smoking behaviour and self-reported d aily stressors, as well as psychological and somatic well-being A sample of 396 eligible participants was studied in a prospective design. Questionnaires on psychosocial factors were completed in each trimester of pregnancy. Smoking behaviour was categorised as follows: (1) Never Smokers (n=235), (2) Former Smokers (n=60) and (3) Current Smokers (n=101), subdivi ded in Continued Smokers (n=67) and Relapsers (n=21), while 13 were not ass igned to either group because of fluctuating smoking behaviour. Multivariate analysis revealed that Former Smokers and Current Smokers repo rted significantly more daily stressors than Never Smokers (p<0.0001) and r ated these as more severe (p<0.0001). Current Smokers expressed significant ly more depressive (p<0.0001), anxious (p<0.001), and somatic symptoms (p<0 .001) than Former Smokers and Never Smokers. Social interactions and satisf action with social support were similar in the three groups. No differences were found between the Continued Smokers and Relapsers. The results of this study suggest that increased exposure to daily stressor s and decreased well-being may prevent pregnant women from successfully qui tting smoking and hence may have indirect negative effects on foetal health .