Smoking Status, Demographic Predictors and Birth Weight Outcomes in Mothers Participating in the Ohio WIC Program, 2012

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between age and smoking status of household members to maternal smoking status during pregnancy and describe the relationship of maternal smoking during pregnancy to low birth weight outcomes in Ohio women enrolled in WIC. This project used data from the 2012 Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance Survey (PNSS) and only the records from the initial visit women made to Ohio WIC clinics in 2012 (n=64,573). One in five women smoked during pregnancy. Younger mothers where most likely to report smoking (20.3%) than women 35 or more years old (17.9%). Of women 24 years old or younger 34% reported living in the same household as a smoker. 71% of those who smoke live with someone who smokes. Women who reported smoking throughout pregnancy are 70% more likely to have low birth weight babies than women who have never smoked or stopped smoking once pregnant. Women who reported smoking throughout their entire pregnancy had a higher percentage of low birth weight babies as compared to women who had never smoked or who had stopped smoking once pregnant. This study builds upon previous research and further highlights maternal smoking as a major public health concern. Programs such as WIC are key components in the effort to decrease smoking rates among pregnant women. Using the WIC program as a reliable resource for smoking cessation has the potential to decrease smoking among pregnant women that participate in the program and improve the health of mothers and babies.