Smoking during pregnancy is a major health problem. It is linked to negative health outcomes for mother and baby. This includes miscarriages and preterm birth. Women who smoke should receive smoking cessation counseling. Because of how close they become to their clients who are pregnant, doulas might be well-equipped to help those who are smoking while pregnant.
Doulas assist pregnant women during pregnancy, labor and delivery and after delivery, although they do not provide nursing care. The word “doula” refers to a “woman who serves.” Research shows that doulas are beneficial support systems. A small pilot study through the University of Pittsburgh assessed the usefulness of training doulas to assist women with efforts to quit smoking during pregnancy. Five doulas participated in multiple training sessions. These sessions covered a readiness-to-change behavior model and smoking cessation tips. Doulas completed a multiple choice survey before and after the sessions. The survey results showed that the doulas gained knowledge, and the findings can support that training of doulas can promote smoking cessation efforts. More research is needed with more doulas for further conclusions.
(Betty Braxter, PhD, CNM is assistant professor of health promotion and development, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing)
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