Treating nicotine use and dependence of pregnant and parenting smokers: an update

A growing volume of research since 1975 has demonstrated that clinically proven, effective interventions exist to produce long-term or even permanent abstinence from tobacco for all smokers. Achieving cessation is important for all smokers but especially for pregnant and parenting smokers because their smoking poses risks not only for themselves but also for their pregnancies and children. Treatments for smokers in general apply to parenting smokers, but special considerations regarding treatment need to be made for pregnant women. Due to the harms associated with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, or second-hand smoke (SHS), parents and caregivers of young children should receive treatment to achieve cessation or counseling on how to eliminate exposure of children to SHS. Despite the availability of these treatments, surveys show that fewer than half of all obstetricians caring for pregnant women in the United States actually provide such treatment. We review the recommendations made in 2000 regarding treatment for pregnant and parenting smokers, summarize recent findings that may affect treatment protocols, and make recommendations regarding further research in treatment approaches for pregnant and parenting smokers. We summarize recommended changes in treatment approaches for clinicians based on this review and describe the factors affecting clinician adoption and use of proven treatments and systems supports found to increase the likelihood of clinician use of these treatments.