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Adding a nicotine patch (15 mg per 16 hours) to behavioral cessation support for women who smoked during pregnancy did not significantly increase the rate of abstinence from smoking until delivery or the risk of adverse pregnancy or birth outcomes. However, low compliance rates substantially limited the assessment of safety. (Funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN07249128.).

BackgroundChildren's exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) has been causally linked to a number of childhood morbidities and mortalities. Over 50% of UK children whose parents are smokers are regularly exposed to SHS at home. No previous review has identified the factors associated with children's SHS exposure in the home.AimTo identify by systematic review, the factors which are associated with children's SHS exposure in the home, determined by parent or child reports and/or biochemically validated measures including cotinine, carbon monoxide or home air particulate matter.MethodsElectronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL and Web of Knowledge to July 2014, and hand searches of reference lists from publications included in the review were conducted.FindingsForty one studies were included in the review. Parental smoking, low socioeconomic status and being less educated were all frequently and consistently found to be independently associated with children's SHS exposure in the home. Children whose parents held more negative attitudes towards SHS were less likely to be exposed. Associations were strongest for parental cigarette smoking status; compared to children of non-smokers, those whose mothers or both parents smoked were between two and 13 times more likely to be exposed to SHS.ConclusionMultiple factors are associated with child SHS exposure in the home; the best way to reduce child SHS exposure in the home is for smoking parents to quit. If parents are unable or unwilling to stop smoking, they should instigate smoke-free homes. Interventions targeted towards the socially disadvantaged parents aiming to change attitudes to smoking in the presence of children and providing practical support to help parents smoke outside the home may be beneficial.

AimsTo estimate the effectiveness of pregnancy smoking cessation support delivered by short message service (SMS) text message and key parameters needed to plan a definitive trial.DesignMulti‐centre, parallel‐group, single‐blinded, individual randomized controlled trial.SettingSixteen antenatal clinics in England.ParticipantsFour hundred and seven participants were randomized to the intervention (n = 203) or usual care (n = 204). Eligible women were < 25 weeks gestation, smoked at least one daily cigarette (> 5 pre‐pregnancy), were able to receive and understand English SMS texts and were not already using text‐based cessation support.InterventionAll participants received a smoking cessation leaflet; intervention participants also received a 12‐week programme of individually tailored, automated, interactive, self‐help smoking cessation text messages (MiQuit).Outcome measurementsSeven smoking outcomes, including validated continuous abstinence from 4 weeks post‐randomization until 36 weeks gestation, design parameters for a future trial and cost‐per‐quitter.FindingsUsing the validated, continuous abstinence outcome, 5.4% (11 of 203) of MiQuit participants were abstinent versus 2.0% (four of 204) of usual care participants [odds ratio (OR) = 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.93–9.35]. The Bayes factor for this outcome was 2.23. Completeness of follow‐up at 36 weeks gestation was similar in both groups; provision of self‐report smoking data was 64% (MiQuit) and 65% (usual care) and abstinence validation rates were 56% (MiQuit) and 61% (usual care). The incremental cost‐per‐quitter was £133.53 (95% CI = –£395.78 to 843.62).ConclusionsThere was some evidence, although not conclusive, that a text‐messaging programme may increase cessation rates in pregnant smokers when provided alongside routine NHS cessation care.