Cigarette use and smoking cessation goals among pregnant women with opioid use disorder.

Introduction: Cigarette smoking rates among pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD), are significantly higher than those found in the general population.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from a multisite, randomized clinical trial comparing two different buprenorphine formulations on outcomes during pregnancy. Cigarette use and smoking cessation goals were evaluated with the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and the Thoughts About Abstinence (TAA) questionnaire respectively. Factors associated with differences in cigarette use and smoking cessation goals were compared.

Results: Among 156 participants, 85 (54.5 %) reported that they currently smoked cigarettes. Most participants had a desire to quit smoking (TAA score = 6), but they had low expectations of success (TAA score = 4) and a relatively high perceived difficulty (TAA score = 6.5) of quitting during pregnancy. Among participants who smoked, less than half (45.5 %) had a smoking cessation goal. Participants who had a smoking cessation goal were significantly more likely to have a stronger desire to quit and higher expectations of success in quitting than participants who did not have a goal.

Conclusions: Many pregnant women with OUD would like to quit or reduce smoking during pregnancy. A combination of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions to reduce or eliminate cigarette use should be incorporated into obstetric and substance use treatment clinical settings. Smoking cessation interventions should be aligned with patients’ goals and preferences.

Related protocols: CTN-0080