Prevalence and determinants of tobacco consumption among pregnant women of three Central Indian Districts

Abstract

Background: About 6.8% of Indian women consume tobacco and only 21.0% receive 'full' antenatal care. Thus, there are chances that women who consume tobacco during the non-pregnant state will continue to use tobacco during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across nine health centres in three districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. A total of 3,839 women admitted in the post-partum ward of selected hospitals were interviewed about tobacco consumption during pregnancy. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated to determine the predictors of tobacco consumption during pregnancy. Results: The prevalence of tobacco consumption during pregnancy was 13.1%. Only 4.4% of women who consumed tobacco and 1.6% of women who did not use tobacco were advised against tobacco consumption by frontline health workers. The strongest predictors of tobacco consumption were tobacco consumption by husband [AOR = 36.16 (CI = 22.89–68.86)], neighbor/female friend consuming tobacco [AOR = 22.29 (CI = 13.11–31.82)], and female family members consuming tobacco [AOR = 5.63 (CI = 4.39–7.53)]. Conclusion: Awareness among women about adverse effects of tobacco consumption during pregnancy was low. Health system intervention in the form of health education and advice against tobacco consumption was virtually non-existent.