In harm's way: childbearing women and nicotine

In the United States cigarette smoking accounts for 11% of deaths of women. Approximately one of every four women smoke. Among pregnant women, 20-50% smoke, although prevalence rates vary depending upon income, age, and educational level. Spontaneous quit rates are highest among pregnant smokers. Interventions have been used to assist pregnant women to stop smoking, and the use of a combination of methods has yielded the highest quit rates among pregnant women, but postpartum relapse rates provide a glimpse of the short-term benefit of these intense efforts. Smoking cessation interventions for pregnant women must be considered within the larger context of women's lives to promote permanent smoking cessation.