Smoking attitudes and habits during pregnancy, Sheffield 1983

Abstract

INTERVIEWS with 206 women post partum, as sessed their knowledge of the risks of smoking to pregnancy and general health, their sources of information and smoking habits during pregnancy. Thirty four per cent smoked at the beginning of pregnancy; 25 per cent quit and 44 per cent reduced consumption during pregnancy. Seventy five per cent of smokers remember receiving advice not to smoke during pregnancy, but the general practition er was cited by only 25 per cent. However advice, knowledge of the risks of smoking to health and a pregnancy, and partners' smoking habits were not associated with quitting or reducing consumption. There was a social class gradient in the proportion of smokers who were aware of the risks of smoking to health and pregnancy, but among non-smokers the higher all-round level of awareness was not in fluenced by social class. Although exposed to anti- smoking propaganda, smokers in Social Classes IV and V are unlikely to admit the risks of smoking and it remains unclear how best to motivate them to give up.