Cigarette smoking among reproductive-aged women--Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1989

Women who smoke cigarettes are at increased risk not only for chronic diseases (e.g., lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) but--if they use oral contraceptives--also for myocardial infarction (1). In addition, cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for low birth weight and premature infants, miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death syndrome, and infant mortality (2). Because of these risks and other health problems associated with cigarette smoking, one of the national health objectives for the year 2000 is to reduce the prevalence of smoking to 12% among reproductive-aged women (18-44 years of age) (3). This report summarizes data from the 1989 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) on the prevalence of smoking among reproductive-aged women.