Smokers who quit while pregnant likely to pick habit up again

Up to half of women who give up cigarette smoking when they get pregnant pick up the habit again within six months of giving birth.

“(Smoking) helps them handle stress, anxiety, times of uncertainty,” said Wayne Tormola of the Arizona Department of Health. “We know there are replacements for that, which are much healthier.”

According to the 2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System data from two dozen states, of women who smoked three months before pregnancy, 55 percent quit during pregnancy. Among women who quit smoking during pregnancy, 40 percent relapsed within six months after delivery.

The trend has improved over time. Data from a 2004 report in the Journal of the American Board of Family Practice shows up to 85 percent of women who stopped smoking during pregnancy relapsed after giving birth.

For tips on how kick the habit for good, visit the Arizona Smokers’ Helpline.