Research trial aims to help pregnant smokers kick the habit

Pregnant smokers are being recruited to a research trial that uses nicotine replacement in different ways to help them kick the habit.

SNAP-3, a national study conducted by the University of Nottingham, is being led by a team of specialist midwives at Swansea Bay University Health Board, in collaboration with Health and Care Research Wales.

Research midwife Joelle Morgan said: “We are hoping to identify women at booking or at their dating scan so that we can support them early on in the pregnancy.

“The recruitment process is very straightforward. They are asked a couple of questions about their smoking behaviours and habits. After that they are randomly allocated either to the usual care provided by Help Me Quit or the Snap-3 study intervention.

“That intervention is between one and four weeks depending on what the woman feels she needs. Their care is taken over by Help Me Quit from that point onwards.”

There are numerous benefits to stopping smoking during pregnancy, such as reducing the risk of complications or low birth weight, while increasing the chance of a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby.

Babies are less likely to be born too early, with all the breathing, feeding and health problems that go with premature birth.

Children whose parents smoke are more likely to develop asthma and other serious illnesses that may need hospital treatment.

Research midwife Sharon Jones said: “That just demonstrates how difficult it is, even though there is support available.

“It's very complex. Women will report different factors and lifestyle issues that feed into their habit. They recognise a lot of them, but how they break those habits is very difficult.

The study is open to mums-to-be who are less than 25 weeks pregnant and who smoke five or more cigarettes a day.

Trial participants are offered nicotine patches along with new behavioural support intervention, to help prepare them to use the nicotine replacement therapy more effectively.

The study is designed to run alongside existing smoking cessation services – such as Help Me Quit in Swansea Bay, which will be launching a maternity-specific service this spring.

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