Baby be smoke free: Teenage smoking cessation pilot

Smoking is a highly significant modifiable risk factor in pregnancy. Despite its association with an extensive list of adverse outcomes, 35% of pregnant teenagers smoke throughout their pregnancy (NHS, 2011a). Although a successful method of quitting, engagement with Stop Smoking Services (SSS) is low among young women (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2010). Alternative methods of encouraging this group to utilise SSS are needed. In this study, qualitative data were collected from 32 teenage pregnant smokers and 60 specialist teenage midwives, and used to develop an online tool-'Baby Be Smoke Free' (BBSF)-to support smoking cessation in young pregnant women. The tool was piloted in the antenatal clinic of an inner city tertiary referral centre with high rates of teenage pregnancies. Thirty six young women were recruited and qualitative feedback was gathered from a further 15 young pregnant women. BBSF increased awareness of the impact of smoking and motivation to quit. Four out of the 36 women requested support from SSS. Broader testing and refining is required, but BBSF could be a useful intervention to engage this hard to reach group of pregnant women.