Randomised controlled trial of a postpartum relapse prevention intervention

A relapse prevention intervention, implemented during the hospital stay during the period soon after delivery and at well-baby visits, would reduce the rate of relapse to smoking six months postpartum and transmission would lead to increased rates of relapse advice.

Abstract

Many women quit smoking during pregnancy but postnatal relapse rates are high, averaging 50–80% in the first year after delivery.1 2 Previous work suggests that provider based relapse intervention in the context of well-baby visits may lead to a decrease in postnatal relapse rates.3 However, prior research also suggests that the majority of postnatal providers do not take a systematic approach to obtaining a smoking history from all new mothers, and thus may miss opportunities for cessation and relapse counselling.3 4 In the present study we examined whether: (1) a relapse prevention intervention, implemented during the hospital stay during the period soon after delivery and at well-baby visits, would reduce the rate of relapse to smoking six months postpartum; (2) the time of delivery was an opportune moment to obtain a smoking history; (3) the history could be transmitted quickly to the infant's pediatric provider; and (4) transmission would lead to increased rates of relapse advice. All women delivering babies at six participating Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area hospitals received an in-hospital screening and were deemed eligible for the study if they reported smoking during the 30 days before the pregnancy and quitting during pregnancy, and were willing to speak with a Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) nurse about having quit smoking. Women were not eligible to be screened if there was a maternal or child illness that would prevent them from attending the paediatric well-baby visits; if the baby was being adopted; or if the woman did not speak English. When an eligible woman agreed to participate in the study, the delivery nurse or the birth certificate clerk contacted the VNA. A VNA nurse informed the woman about the study, obtained informed consent, collected a saliva sample for cotinine verification of non-smoking status, and conducted the baseline assessment …