Can Financial Incentives Help Quit Smoking During Pregnancy?

Smoking while pregnant has been linked to several complications such as preterm births, miscarriages, fetal brain abnormalities and neurobehavioral problems.

Doctors and healthcare officials are continuously warning women not to smoke during pregnancy. But studies have shown that the number of women smoking during pregnancy is increasing day by day.

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‘France hospitals will offer expectant mothers €300 in vouchers during the pregnancy period to motivate them to give up smoking.’

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Even in France, 18% of expecting mother smoke, making it the country with highest rate of tobacco use during pregnancy in the Europe. Therefore, 17 hospital in the cities have planned to conduct a 36-month trial to know whether offering financial rewards may help curb smoking among expecting mothers.

They have agreed to offer €20 voucher per session of smoking cessation at their regularly scheduled pregnancy checkups. They can spend the money on any number of stores. Totally, they get an opportunity to earn €300 in vouchers during their pregnancy period.

Women who are at least 18 years old and are no more than four and a half months pregnant can take part in the study. They should smoke at least five ready made or three hand rolled cigarettes per day and most importantly must have an urge to quit.

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Similar studies conducted in other parts of Europe showed that financial incentives boosted expecting women to quit smoking. It’s because offering a reward motivated them to stop instead of blaming or forcing them.

Source-Medindia

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