Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of pregnancy complications, preterm delivery, birth defects and low birth weight in infants. Providing screening and counseling during prenatal care visits can help pregnant individuals stop smoking (Healthy People 2030, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Population-based interventions, like cigarette price increases, media campaigns, and comprehensive smoke-free laws, can also help prevent pregnant people from smoking (Healthy People 2030).    

Considerations for Equitable Approaches: A commitment to health equity involves understanding health disparities related to commercial tobacco* and underlying factors that lead to disparities in smoking. Evidence shows variations in tobacco retailer concentration in certain communities may contribute to disparities in tobacco use as tobacco retailer density is greater in areas with higher proportions of households receiving public assistance, as well as counties with a higher proportion of African American residents, same-sex couples, and rural residents (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Smoking and Health).   

*“Commercial tobacco” means harmful products that are made and sold by tobacco companies. It does not include “traditional tobacco” used by Indigenous groups for religious or ceremonial purposes.  

Inclusive Language Recommendations: As not all people who are pregnant identify as women, recommendations for more gender-inclusive language include using "pregnant people" and "pregnant patients" or other wording as applicable when referring to general recommendations for pregnancy (National Institutes of Health).