Abstract
Data from the Maine Pregnancy Risk Monitoring System (2004-2005) were used to assess smoking cessation and smoking cessation advice given to pregnant women during their prenatal visits. Women’s insurance type was classified as public (MaineCare; n = 1016) or private (eg, health maintenance organization; n = 1340). Prepregnancy smokers were asked if their health care provider discussed quitting or had suggested any specific cessation methods from a list of proven-effective strategies. The most general question was, “During any of your prenatal care visits, did a doctor, nurse, or other health care worker spend time with you discussing how to quit smoking?” This question was used in regression modeling to determine if differences existed in advice giving by insurance type. Compared with women who had private insurance, women with public insurance were less likely to have quit smoking but reportedly more often advised to seek booklet or videos to help them quit, referred to the state-run quit line, counseled to seek family support to help them quit, advised to use a nicotine patch, and provided with specific instructions about how to quit. In regression models, insurance type was a significant correlate of spending time discussing how to quit. When age and income were included in the model, only income remained significant for the lowest versus the highest income group. In Maine, it appears that health care providers are offering smoking cessation advice to pregnant women, although more so to women of lower income.