Exposure to active and passive smoking among Greek pregnant women

Abstract

BackgroundActive smoking and exposure to passive smoke are responsible for numerous adverse pregnancy outcomes for women and their infants. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions, attitudes, patterns of personal tobacco use and exposure to environmental smoke among a sample of pregnant women in Greece.MethodA cross sectional survey was undertaken of 300 women identified from the perinatal care records of the Maternity Departments of two hospitals in Athens between February 2013 and May 2013. Data on active and passive maternal smoking status in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, fetal and neonatal tobacco related complications, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke during pregnancy, quit attempts, behaviors towards avoiding passive smoking and beliefs towards smoking cessation during pregnancy were collected using self-administered questionnaires on the 3rd postnatal day. Women also completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).ResultsOf 300 women recruited to the study 48 % reported tobacco use during the first trimester of pregnancy. Amongst participants who were tobacco users, 83.3 % reported making an attempt to quit but less than half (45.1 %) were successful. Among women who continued to smoke during pregnancy the majority (55.8 %) reported that they felt unable to quit, and 9.3 % reported that they considered smoking cessation was not an important health issue for them. Participants who continued to smoke during pregnancy were more likely to report fetal (χ2 = 11.41; df = 5; p < 0.05) and newborn complications (χ2 = 6.41; df = 2; p < 0.05), including preterm birth and low birth weight. Participants who reported that their partners were smokers were more likely to smoke throughout their pregnancy (χ2 = 14.62; df = 1; p < 0.001). High rates of second-hand smoke exposure were reported among both smoking and non-smoking women. Pregnant smokers had significantly higher levels of postnatal depressive and anxiety symptomatology, as measured using the EPDS, than non-smokers.ConclusionOur data supports the importance of ensuring that pregnant women, their partners and close relatives are educated on the health risks of active and passive smoking and how these could have an adverse effect to their fetus and infants, as well as the pregnant women themselves.

Smoking status and effects of happiness on smoking in turkish pregnant women

“…Most of the women smoked 1-5 cigarettes a day during this period. (5), and 48% by Vivilaki et al (24), which are higher than that in the present study. In the study on smoking during pregnancy in the low-and middle-income countries by Caleyachetty et al (25), the highest and the lowest rates of smoking were found in South Asia (5.1%) and Africa (2%), respectively .…”

Exposure to secondhand smoke in Iranian pregnant women at home and the related factors

“…Vivilaki et al 38 in Greece indicated that awareness about the health problem for the fetus and attitude to smoke during pregnancy were the main factors in pregnant smoker women. Bahiraii et al 14 reported that presence of a smoking individual and false beliefs of pregnant women about the effects of smoke on the health of the fetus could be important elements to consider in order to improve the prevalence of exposure.…”

Continued smoking versus spontaneous quitting among pregnant women living in a high risk environment

“…A recent study indicated that there is strong association between maternal smoking habits during the pregnancy and socioeconomic deprivation (2). Additionally, women whose partners were smokers were more likely to smoke throughout pregnancy (3). Ethnic minority groups, such as Roma in Europe, are disproportionately living in deprived communities, their rates of tobacco use are high, and they experience significant exposure to second hand smoke (SHS) (4).…”