A Cross-Section Study of Relationship Characteristics and Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy in a Sample of Romanian Pregnant Women.

Introduction: Partner support and relationship characteristics may be important factors in effective couple-based pregnancy smoking cessation programs. Research is needed to investigate the links between couple relationship characteristics and maternal smoking cessation to inform the development of such interventions.

Methods: This paper relies on cross-section data collected during the formative phase in the development of an ongoing couple-focused pregnancy tobacco cessation trial. Data (n = 143 pregnant women) were collected from two large public and one private obstetrics and gynecology clinics located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify correlates of smoking cessation during pregnancy.

Results: Higher education was a significant correlate of smoking cessation during pregnancy. Women with a college degree or more had higher odds to quit smoking during pregnancy in comparison to their counterparts who graduated high school or less (OR 14.3, 95% CI 2.75-74.28). In addition, women with increased positive partner interactions related to their smoking cessation efforts correlated with higher odds of quitting smoking during pregnancy (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.15-1.91).

Discussion: While pregnancy tobacco cessation interventions with partner support do exist, most were not successful and did not focus on couple-related concepts such as partner interactions, dyadic coping, and dyadic efficacy. The findings of the study are important because they bring new insights regarding the potential role of relationship characteristics to inform future cessation programs focused on pregnant smokers and their life partners.