Preventing postpartum smoking relapse: an opportunity for neonatal nurses

Smoking during pregnancy and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke have harmful and sometimes devastating effects on the health of the newborn. Although interventions for smoking cessation during pregnancy demonstrate effectiveness for increasing smoking abstinence, the majority of women relapse in the postpartum period. However, modifying contributing factors for relapse may improve the success of sustained abstinence. Many parents are eager to quit smoking and willing to participate in smoking cessation interventions. Through a population-based approach to healthcare, neonatal nurses are in an ideal position to prevent relapse and to promote smoking abstinence; they can coordinate and lead efforts for establishing smoking cessation strategies that integrate obstetric, newborn, and pediatric services.