Effectiveness of Nicotine Replacement Therapy in Reducing the Risk of Nicotine Exposure in Pregnant Minority Smokers

The overall focus of the proposed concept submitted by the George Washington University Medical Center investigators is "The Efficacy of NRT to Reduce the Risk of Nicotine Exposure in Pregnant Minority Smokers." Prenatal smoke exposure to the fetus and environmental tobacco smoke exposure of infants and children causes significant harm in both the short- and long-term. Smoking during pregnancy is the foremost preventable cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. There is strong evidence that these exposures are associated with low birth weight (LBW) and infant mortality, respiratory illness, ear infections, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, asthma, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), developmental delay, and increased health care utilization and hospitalizations. George Washington University Medical Center investigators are submitting two concept papers that aim to test the efficacy of innovative intervention methods tailored to reduce fetal and infant exposure to nicotine secondary to maternal smoking and environmental tobacco exposure.