[Tobacco use and pregnancy]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Smoking remains a significant public health concern, particularly among pregnant populations.
• Despite existing health education initiatives, smoking prevalence among pregnant women persists.
• Understanding the impact of smoking on pregnancy outcomes is crucial for maternal and child health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of smoking among pregnant women in the Centro health area of Ciego de Avila municipality.
• To investigate the association between smoking during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of current health education strategies regarding smoking cessation in pregnant women.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted among pregnant women in the Centro health area, categorizing them into smokers and non-smokers.
• Data collection focused on smoking habits and pregnancy-related health information.
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare outcomes between smoking and non-smoking groups.

Main Results:

• 42.9% of pregnant women surveyed were identified as smokers, indicating a high prevalence despite health education efforts.
• Smokers experienced higher rates of pregnancy and delivery complications, increased abortions, and elevated mortality.
• Failures in health education delivery and negative role modeling by health personnel were identified as contributing factors.

Conclusions:

• Current health education campaigns are insufficient to curb smoking among pregnant women in the study area.
• Smoking during pregnancy poses substantial risks to both maternal and fetal health.
• There is a need for improved and more effective health education strategies and a stronger commitment from healthcare professionals to address smoking cessation in pregnant women.