[Pregnant women and smoking: descriptive study and prognostic factors to stop smoking during pregnancy]

Nicotine addiction (NA) is a serious public health problem. Today, smoking effects on the foetus and the mother are well known; however, studies into smoker's behaviour are lacking. The aim of our paper was to identify factors which influence either NA stopping or continuation during pregnancy.

It's a descriptive study, using a questionnaire, among pregnant women during prenatal consultation in a university hospital, at home with freelance mid-wives or in mother and infant welfare services (PMI).

Two hundred and forty-one questionnaires were analysed. Smoker's behaviour, psycho-environmental factors, co-addictions, were described and compared. One out of four women was smoking during pregnancy and one out of ten was smoking more than 10cigarettes per day. One out of three women who were smokers before pregnancy, stated that they had stopped NA during the year. Only 58/241 readings of exhaled carbon monoxide were performed, which reflects hesitation of medical staff to employ this device. Forty seven women indicated the number of alcohol glasses consumed during pregnancy. The study showed that partner's attitude towards smoking, good or bad mood during pregnancy, number of cigarettes smoked before pregnancy and medical information would appear to be significant factors that influence NA stopping during pregnancy.

The identification of prognostic factors for NA stopping is of primordial importance, especially among heavy smokers, in order to target the actions necessary to help NA stopping.