Financial incentives, in the form of vouchers, for smoking cessation help pregnant women quit smoking during pregnancy.
- The results of the study were confirmed by nicotine saliva tests. The smoking status of the participants was tested between the 34th and 38th week of pregnancy.
- Most pregnant women who quit smoking in both groups relapsed after the birth of their babies.
When a smoker becomes pregnant, it is strongly recommended that she quit smoking, because smoking during pregnancy carries risks for the future mother and the baby. According to’Health Insurancesmoking increases the risk of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature delivery, placenta previa, retroplacental hematoma and fetal developmental abnormalities.
Smoking cessation: 944 pregnant smokers were followed
Recently, researchers from the University of Glasgow (Scotland) demonstrated that a voucher system could prove to be effective in encouraging pregnant women to quit smoking. To reach this conclusion, they conducted work published in the journal The British Medical Journal. “The Phase 3 randomized trial examined the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of financial incentives, in the form of vouchers worth up to £400, for smoking cessation during pregnancy” , the scientists said.
For the purposes of their work, they recruited 944 pregnant women, who declared themselves smokers (at least one cigarette during the last week) when they were asked the question during the first visit to the maternity ward. They were less than 24 weeks gestation. Half of the participants were offered the usual smoking cessation services, which include advice from trained professionals to use cessation therapy and nicotine replacement therapy. The other volunteers received the same care and also tested the voucher system.
Smoking abstinence rate doubled among women who received vouchers
According to the results, 26.8% of the pregnant women in the group who received the financial incentives in the form of vouchers had quit smoking by the end of their pregnancy, while 12.3% of the pregnant women in the control group, who did not received only standard services and care, quit smoking.
“Pregnant smokers tend to have low incomes. Quitting smoking saves £70-100 a week by not buying cigarettes,” said David Tappin, lead author of the research, in a statement. “These vouchers will have helped them to try to quit smoking and to remain non-smokers during their pregnancy. This type of intervention is prevention, it is about spending from the start to avoid health problems. much more serious and costly for the baby and the mother if she continues to smoke”, added Linda Bauld, who also participated in the study.
