Seventy per cent of these women continued to smoke during their pregnancy. Also, we know that smoking is very addictive and that women who are going to quit will usually do so early in their pregnancy. Although most women continued to smoke once pregnant, most reduced the number of cigarettes they smoked. On average, the amount smoked declined by 2.8 cigarettes a day, to 12.5. However, these numbers may not be an accurate reflection of smoking patterns, said Dr. Kirkland.
Many smokers tend to deceive themselves about the actual number of cigarettes they smoke each day.
It is not clear why women continue to smoke while pregnant, but it is unlikely they are unaware smoking is potentially harmful to themselves and their child. Yet from a health-care perspective, pregnancy is an ideal time to deal with issues such as smoking cessation, said Dr. Kirkland. There is an opportunity to reach women during pregnancy. This is an advantage for health-care professionals that they rarely encounter at any other point in the patient's life span. Also, women are more concerned about their health and that of the baby, and, therefore, more in tune with this kind of message.