Indigenous Women’s Experiences of Smoking and Quitting Smoking in Pregnancy: A Phenomenological Study

Background Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) is an important public health concern because of potential adverse health effects to the woman, fetus, and child after birth. Prevalence rates are high among groups with socioeconomic disadvantage, including Indigenous women. Purpose This study was conducted to understand experiences of MSDP for Indigenous women. Methods The study was conducted using phenomenology. Data were collected through interviews with 15 pregnant and postnatal Indigenous women who had smoked during pregnancy. The data were analyzed for themes using phenomenological methods. Results The women's narratives revealed four experiences: quitting smoking during pregnancy to protect the unborn baby from harm; quitting smoking during pregnancy because of personal adverse health effects; cutting down smoking during pregnancy and feeling remorse for not quitting; and keeping on smoking during pregnancy and not planning to try to quit. The women's experiences also indicated several impediments to quitting smoking. Conclusions There is need for health care policy to ensure adequate smoking cessation services and support for Indigenous women who smoke in pregnancy. Health care professionals should provide individualized interventions that take into account the challenges to quitting that pregnant women experience and that are in accordance with clinical practice guidelines for MSDP.