SMOKING-HABITS AMONG DANISH PREGNANT-WOMEN FROM 1989 TO 1996 IN RELATION TO SOCIODERMOGRAPHIC AND LIFE-STYLE FACTORS

Background. The aim of the study was to describe changes in smoking ha bits among Danish pregnant women during an eight-year period in relati on to changes in sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Methods. From 1989 to 1996 all pregnant women attending routine antenatal care at t he Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Aarhus University Hospit al who completed an inclusion questionnaire were invited to participat e in the present study (n=27,194). They were asked to complete two add itional questionnaires during pregnancy. Apart from smoking habits, th ese questionnaires provided information on medical and obstetric histo ry together with information on sociodemographic and other lifestyle v ariables. Results. The proportion of pregnant smokers decreased from 3 4% (95% CI: 32%-36%) in 1989 to 21% (95% CI: 19%-22%) in 1996 (p<0.001 ). The mean number of cigarettes per day remained almost constant duri ng the study period. Stratified and multivariate analyses showed that the results were not confounded by changes in sociodemographic and lif estyle factors. Conclusions. From 1989 to 1996 a significant reduction in the proportion of pregnant smokers was found. There were no specif ic campaigns against smoking in pregnancy during this period and the r eduction was not associated with changes in sociodemographic and lifes tyle factors.