Main Article Content

Prevalence and determinants of tobacco consumption among pregnant women of three Central Indian Districts


Priti Verma
Pavan Pandey
Avinash Thakur

Abstract

Background: About 6.8% of Indian women consume tobacco and only 21.0%  receive ‘full’ antenatal care. Thus, there are chances that women who consume tobacco during the non‑pregnant state will continue to use tobacco during  pregnancy.
Materials and Methods: A cross‑sectional study was conducted across nine health centres in three districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. A total of 3,839 women  admitted in the post‑partum ward of selected hospitals were interviewed about  tobacco consumption during pregnancy. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated to determine the predictors of tobacco consumption during pregnancy.
Results: The prevalence of tobacco consumption during pregnancy was 13.1%. Only 4.4% of women who consumed tobacco and 1.6% of women who did not use tobacco were advised against tobacco consumption by frontline health workers. The strongest predictors of tobacco consumption were tobacco consumption by husband [AOR = 36.16 (CI = 22.89–68.86)], neighbor/female friend consuming tobacco [AOR = 22.29 (CI = 13.11–31.82)], and female family members consuming tobacco [AOR = 5.63 (CI = 4.39–7.53)].
Conclusion: Awareness among women about adverse effects of tobacco consumption during pregnancy was low. Health system intervention in the form of health education and advice against tobacco consumption was virtually non‑existent.

Key words: India; pregnancy; tobacco; women.


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eISSN: 0189-5117