Smoking in pregnancy even One Cigarette Doubles the Risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death, research shows.
A study suggests that 22% of sudden, unexpected infant deaths (SUIDs) in the United States may be attributed to maternal smoking in pregnancy. I provide quit smoking sessions using hypnotherapy. Sessions are in London and also online.
This latest study analyzed 20,685,463 live births and 19,127 SUIDs from 2007 through 2011 in an effort to determine the effects of maternal smoking by trimester and daily cigarette consumption, pre-pregnancy smoking levels, reduction or cessation of smoking during pregnancy and ICD-10 codes for cause of infant death.
Smoking in pregnancy even one cigarette while pregnant doubles the risk of SUID
Any amount of smoking in pregnancy – even one cigarette – doubles the risk of SUID. For mothers who smoke 1-20 cigarettes per day, each additional cigarette increased the chance of SUID by 0.7 times. For example, a woman who smokes 15 cigarettes per day has a threefold chance of her infant dying from SUID.
Maternal smoking in pregnancy is an established risk factor of SUID. In fact, although the risks of smoking during pregnancy seem fairly well acknowledged, 10% of pregnant women smoked during the last three months of their pregnancies in 2011. In the US, more than 3,700 infants die each year from SUID, which includes sudden infant death syndrome, accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and ill-defined causes. In 2017, 19.4%-22.8% of adults in the Ohio indicated they were current smokers, according to the Centres for Disease Control. Across the nation, 12 out of every 100 women were smokers.
Encourage people to stop smoking in pregnancy
Quitting smoking results in the greatest reduction in SUID risk; but every cigarette that can be reduced counts. Mothers who smoked in the three months prior to pregnancy, and quit in the first trimester, still had a 50% greater chance of a SUID death compared to non-smokers.
Screening pregnant women for smoking habits should begin at the very first prenatal visit, and should continue throughout the prenatal period. As physicians, we rely on self-reporting for substance use, including smoking, alcohol and drugs.
It is important to advise people of the risks of smoking – risks to themselves, but, more importantly, risks to their unborn child. I tell them to consider all of those risks and to plan ahead when quitting. People need to change the environment that puts them at risk, recognise the triggers (whether stress, habit or social triggers) and make sure their loved ones are aware and supportive of their decision to quit.
As well providing as hypnotherapy to quit smoking. I tell smokers in London that once they’ve given up smoking, they cannot “just have one” because they will find suddenly they are back to smoking a pack per day.
Providing education about the risks inherent in smoking in pregnancy may serve to motivate behavioural change; however, some may need counselling, CBT or other interventions along with standard hypnotherapy for smoking.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends the use of nicotine replacement therapies, under close supervision, if women are unable to quit on their own or with counselling. Buproprion is also used to help with smoking cessation, and is safe in pregnancy. With London hypnotherapy clients, we talk through these options.
If you are interested in quitting smoking, consider hypnotherapy in London and also now hypnotherapy to quit smoking sessions online.