What are the “Best Practices” for Prenatal Smoking Cessation?
Effective smoking cessation counseling is: • 5-15 minutes at every encounter: Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange • Given by a trained health care professional • A supportive message incorporated into routine prenatal care • Aided by printed materials that are pregnancy-specific and culturally relevant. Materials should describe the harmful effects of smoking during pregnancy and highlight the benefits of quitting. Can I really make a difference? Yes. Quit rates may increase 30-70 percent when smokers are counseled by healthcare providers. You have a special opportunity to make a difference. Research shows that women expect and want their health care providers to address smoking and to support them while quitting. Who should do the counseling? The more people who do the counseling, the better. Counseling by both physicians and non-physicians is better than counseling by either one alone. What if I am not the only health care provider this woman sees? When each health care provider ask
