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In the U.S., one in five women smoked the three months before pregnancy, one in ten smoked during the last three months of pregnancy, and one in seven smoked postpartum. Maternal smoking is associated with miscarriage, preterm delivery, restricted fetal growth, infant mortality, birth defects and ADHD in children. Socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant women have a greater risk of smoking during and after pregnancy. Evidence-based cessation interventions exist to aid quit attempts, but few target pregnant smokers and enrollment in and utilization of
cessation programs remain low.
TelASK is providing an innovative IVR approach to recruiting and enrolling pregnant smokers into various types of cessation treatment with messaging based on pregnant smoker’s knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and perspectives on the facilitators and barriers to smoking cessation.

Michael CelestinDirector of the Louisiana Tobacco Control Initiative