Tobacco & Prenancy
Pregnancy and Tobacco: Better Practices Tool Kit
In 2005 South Shore Health received funding from Health Canada for a 3-year project to use ‘better practices’ information to establish a comprehensive and coordinated approach to prenatal and postpartum tobacco use. Through ongoing collaboration and partnerships, the scope of this project has broadened to a province wide initiative with Annapolis Valley Health playing a key role. The objectives of the project are:
- Identify and establish partnerships with key individuals and organizations that provide supports to pregnant and postpartum women.
- Share better practice information on pregnancy and tobacco use with health professionals and health intermediaries in DHA 1, 2, 3.
- Identify opportunities to incorporate better practices into new and existing programs and services for pregnant and postpartum women.
- Establish a multi-pronged approach to tobacco cessation for pregnant smokers.
- Establish a program evaluation for the project.
- Provide opportunities to share experiences and disseminate findings to practitioners and participants in Nova Scotia.
Below are some of the resources that have been used to train health intermediaries in our region.
This review examines both evaluated smoking cessation interventions tested in pregnant populations and unevaluated program materials to determine the most effective strategies to facilitate smoking cessation both during pregnancy and into the postpartum period. Broader social and biological issues which affect cessation, including low socio-economic status, social environment, ethnicity, maternal age and nicotine dependence, are considered to provide insight into the reasons why some women continue to smoke during pregnancy.
Motherisk
Motherisk on-line is a source of evidence-based information about the safety or risk of drugs, chemicals and disease during pregnancy and lactation for expectant parents and professionals.
Program Checklist: Smoking Cessation Interventions for Pregnant and Postpartum Girls and Women
This 10-page document uses the Canadian Tobacco Control Research Initiative's Better Practices Model to help you select programs and strategies for smoking cessation in pregnancy. It extracts key principles as well as lists programs that represent "better practices" for smoking cessation in pregnancy.
Smoking Cessation for Pregnant and Post-Partum Women: A Toolkit for Health Professionals
The PREGNETS toolkit has been developed for health care providers, educators and researchers and provides the essential components to address smoking cessation among pregnant and postpartum women. The PREGNETS team have reviewed existing resources and summarized the key components. Some simple tools were also developed to help deliver the interventions easily and effectively.
Smokers Helpline 1 877- 513-5333
The Smokers' Helpline encourages calls from smokers who want to quit smoking, are thinking of quitting, have stopped smoking and need support, and for those who don't want to quit. This program is also available to individuals who want information on how to help others quit smoking.
Smokers Helpline: Fax Referral Form
Doctors and healthcare providers are now able to make referrals to the Nova Scotia Smokers’ Helpline by facsimile. The fax referral, a new feature to the program, will make it easier for doctors and healthcare providers to assist patients interested in quitting smoking. With the patient’s consent, the fax referral process enables Smokers’ Helpline Quit Specialists to directly contact smokers rather than waiting for the smokers to initiate the process.
If you are a health professional and would like to refer a client to the Smokers' Helpline, fax the downloadable form below to the number listed on the form.
Training Guide for Smokers Helpline: Pregnant and Postpartum Protocols (Health Canada)
For more information please contact:
Tammy Stokvis
Public Health Services
542-6310
tstokvis@avdha.nshealth.ca
Gwenyth Dwyn
Addictions Services
542-1073
gbdwyn@avdha.nshealth.ca