New Moffitt Study Helps Pregnant Women Quit Smoking

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 30 Apr 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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The H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute announces a new study, " Forever Free(tm) for Baby And Me," led by Thomas H Brandon, Ph.D., Director of Tobacco Research. The study seeks women in the fourth through eighth month of pregnancy who have been smokers but have quit smoking shortly before or during pregnancy.

The women will be sent literature designed to help them stay smoke-free and alerting them to the benefits of continued tobacco abstinence for both themselves and their newborn infants.

"Quitting smoking is good for pregnant women and good for the health of their babies," says Brandon.

"But many women don't realize that it is also very unhealthy for newborn babies and children to be exposed to second-hand smoke. The challenge for so many women is to stay quit after the baby is born. Not only does staying quit lead to healthy children, but it may add enough years to the mothers' lives for them to see their children grow up."

"About one quarter of all women are smokers when they become pregnant," Brandon says. "The good news is that about half of them quit smoking when they are pregnant or in anticipation of becoming pregnant. The bad news is that about 70 percent of those women return to smoking within six months after giving birth. The purpose of our study is to send to pregnant women who have quit smoking booklets that could help them stay quit even after they give birth. We want to learn what the women think of these booklets and how much the booklets help them."

The study, funded by The National Institutes of Health, is free to participants. For more information about the study, call (toll free) 1-877-9-KICK-IT (1-877-954-2548). Because the study is conducted by telephone and mail, women may enroll from any part of the country.

In 2001, the National Cancer Institute awarded Moffitt the status of a Comprehensive Cancer Center in recognition of its excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control.

Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country's leading cancer centers, and is listed in the U.S. News & World Report as one of the top cancer hospitals in America. Moffitt's sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.

Jean C. Johnson, Media Relations Specialist
Public Relations & Marketing Department
Moffitt Cancer Center
12902 Magnolia Drive, MBC/PR
Tampa, FL 33612
Work: 813-975-7896
Fax: 813-632-1380/813-558-4808
Email: Johnsojc@moffitt.usf.edu
For more information, contact:
MediaRelations@moffitt.usf.edu
(813) 632-1478

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