Partner smoking behaviour change is associated with women's smoking reduction and cessation during pregnancy

Objectives. To examine whether partner smoking behaviour change is associated with women's smoking reduction and cessation during pregnancy, independently of a range of potential psychosocial confounding variables. It was hypothesized that a woman's failure to reduce or quit smoking in pregnancy would be associated independently with failure of partner to reduce or quit smoking. Design. Cohort study. Methods. A population‐based sample of 662 women who smoked, or had smoked until becoming pregnant, were recruited in early pregnancy, with follow‐up in late pregnancy. Participants completed questionnaires and self‐report measures of sychosocial variables. The primary outcome measures were women's self‐reported daily cigarette consumption before pregnancy (retrospective), and during early and late pregnancy (contemporary), from which smoking cessation, reduction and maintenance measures were derived. Results. Seventy per cent of partners smoked, and 25 per cent of all partners (34 per cent of smoking partners) reduced or quitted smoking in early pregnancy. The study hypothesis was confirmed in multivariate logistic regression models. Women's failure to quit smoking in early pregnancy was independently associated with partner failing to reduce or quit smoking, higher number of social network smokers, adult attachment style, socio‐economic status, pre‐pregnancy cigarette consumption and older age. Women's failure to reduce smoking was independently associated with partner failing to reduce or quit smoking, socio‐economic status, pre‐pregnancy cigarette consumption, and higher parity. Partner and family emotional support, joint pregnancy planning and depressive symptomatology, were not independently associated with women's smoking reduction or cessation. Follow‐up data confirmed the early pregnancy results. Conclusions. Intervention trials to reduce the prevalence of smoking in pregnancy should include targeting of behavioural change in partner smoking.