Quit for You Quit for Two
Smoking while pregnant has health risks for mothers and babies
In Washington, more than 8,700 babies are born each year to women who smoke during pregnancy. The health consequences are severe – for both mother and child. Smoking increases the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), premature birth, low birth weight and chronic respiratory diseases. Moreover, smoking increases the mother’s risk of infertility, cancer and heart disease.
As a health professional, you are a trusted source of information. Evidence shows that even a brief intervention by a health care provider can dramatically improve a person’s chances of quitting successfully.
Conduct a brief tobacco intervention with your client
Ask – Pregnant women should be asked if they are smoking at every visit. It can be as simple as, “Do you currently smoke or use tobacco?”
Advise – Talk about the health risks of smoking while pregnant – for both the mother and the baby. Let your client or patient know that quitting can be the best thing she does for her health and for the health of her baby.
Refer – All pregnant women should know about the free help available at the Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW). In addition to the standard quit line services, pregnant women will receive extra follow-up calls and tailored quit materials to help them remain smoke-free, even after the baby is born.
For more information on how to conduct a brief tobacco intervention with your patients or clients, go to www.2AandR.org.
Complete a fax referral to connect the woman with the quit line
It can be intimidating to make that first call. That’s why the quit line has developed a system that removes that barrier for the expectant mother.
Just fill out a fax referral with your patient and fax it into the quit line. Within 48 hours, a quit coach will contact the woman. The referring health care provider will also receive an outcome report of the call within two weeks.
To request support in conducting a brief tobacco intervention or using the fax referral, please contact the Tobacco Cessation Resource Center.
