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Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: Slide Presentation (Full Set)

Specific Populations and Other Topics — Pregnant Smokers (Continued)

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Clinical practice	Rationale
Motivate quit attempts by providing educational messages about the impact of smoking on both maternal and fetal health.	These are associated with higher quit rates.
Give clear, strong advice to quit as soon as possible.	Quitting early in pregnancy provides the greatest benefit to the fetus.
Use problem-solving counseling methods and provide social support and pregnancy-specific self-help materials.	Reinforces pregnancy-specific benefits and increases cessation rates.
Arrange for follow-up assessments throughout pregnancy, including further encouragement of cessation.	The woman and her fetus will benefit even when quitting occurs late in pregnancy.
In the early postpartum period, assess for relapse and be prepared to continue or reapply tobacco cessation interventions recognizing that patients may minimize or deny smoking.	Postpartum relapse rates are high even if a woman maintains abstinence throughout pregnancy.