Canadian Researchers to Investigate Smoking among Pregnant Women

According to CBC News, Canadian scientists are planning to conduct a survey to focus on smoking among pregnant women living on Nunavut territory. The main purpose of the research is to investigate what causes pregnant females to smoke and which measures can be implemented in order to help them quit.

The researchers will look at 70 expectant mothers, exclusively of the Inuit background, who live in the city of Nunavut and surrounding areas.

Scientist R. Reid, who works for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, says that the study will help develop new methods to assist pregnant women in overcoming their harmful habit of smoking.

The beginning of the research that will involve detailed interviews with women on different stages of pregnancy is planned for September, 2008. The scientists will focus on determining women’s motivation for smoking cessation, as well as their willpower to attempt quitting. In addition, local health-care workers will be consulted to find out their strategies of encouraging pregnant females to stop smoking.

The planned study will also discover the best ways to educate pregnant women about dangerous health consequences of cigarette smoking. Besides, it will establish the most effective methods of communicating with pregnant smokers in order to persuade them to quit. The results should help to avoid wasting finances and efforts on smoking cessation methods which have little effectiveness for pregnant women.

According to Health Canada, up to 30 percent of Canadian pregnant women are regular smokers. Many are aware of hazardous effects of tobacco on their own health and that of their yet-to-be-born babies and, thus, a significant percentage of pregnant smoking women are willing to attempt smoking cessation.

Canadian health authorities warn that tobacco smoke can trigger miscarriages and other serious pregnancy complications in smoking women. Cigarette poisons can also be passed onto the baby, which may result in birth defects and numerous other health problems in newborns, including their low birth weight and an elevated risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

Currently, doctors do not know which methods are the most reliable and effective in helping pregnant women kick the habit, since few studies have been conducted in the field.

Jimmy Edwards