Prenatal smoking cessation intervention and gestational weight gain

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Smoking cessation during pregnancy is crucial for maternal and fetal health.
• Prenatal smoking cessation is often associated with increased gestational weight gain (GWG).
• Limited research exists on the relationship between the timing of cessation and guideline-recommended GWG.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine GWG in women participating in a community prenatal smoking cessation program.
• To assess the relationship between the timing of smoking cessation and GWG.
• To evaluate GWG in relation to guideline recommendations.

Main Methods:

• Pregnant women in a smoking cessation program provided self-reported weight and biochemical smoking verification.
• Gestational weight gain (GWG) was calculated using pre-pregnancy and delivery visit weights.
• Statistical analyses included t-tests and regression models to evaluate cessation duration and GWG.

Main Results:

• Women who quit smoking earlier in pregnancy experienced greater GWG (16.9 ± 7.5 kg) compared to those who never quit (13.6 ± 8.9 kg).
• After adjusting for covariates, no significant difference in total GWG was observed between women who quit and those who did not.
• Early cessation was associated with higher GWG, but overall GWG did not differ significantly based on cessation status.

Conclusions:

• Early cessation of smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased GWG.
• Despite potential for higher GWG with early cessation, overall GWG is comparable between quitters and non-quitters.
• The substantial maternal and fetal health benefits of prenatal smoking cessation supersede the potential risks associated with increased GWG.