Health visitor support helps postnatal mothers stay smoke-free

Research from the University of East Anglia reveals that women who receive additional support from health visitors while trying to remain smoke-free after giving birth are more successful in maintaining their smoke-free status compared to those without such support. This study, published in the BMJ, involved 886 women from England and Scotland who had previously quit smoking during pregnancy or during the pregnancy itself.

The intervention, known as BabyBreathe, provided health visitors with one-to-one support, digital tools, text message reminders, a dedicated website and app, and a relapse-prevention kit sent to families after the birth of the baby. This support continued up to 12 months postpartum during routine health visitor appointments.

Lead researcher Professor Caitlin Notley emphasized that while quitting smoking during pregnancy is a significant achievement, staying smoke-free after childbirth can be equally challenging. Often, support ends once a woman has quit, yet the postpartum period is when many women are most vulnerable to relapse.

The study found that 57.6% of women who received the BabyBreathe intervention remained smoke-free at 12 months postpartum, compared to 49.9% of those who received usual care. Despite some delivery issues, the intervention still showed a significant difference in outcomes between the two groups.

Professor Notley highlighted that health visitors are uniquely positioned to provide this essential support and that extending the intensive support for quitting smoking during pregnancy should include ongoing assistance to help women stay smoke-free in the long term. The findings underscore the importance of training health visitors in smoking relapse prevention to benefit the health of both mothers and their children.