International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETSE) among pregnant African-American women can be reduced by cognitive behavioural therapy, researchers have found.

As a result, this can improve birth outcomes and prevent very low birth weights.

The research, which was carried out by the University of Nebraska Medical Centre in Omaha, US, discovered that significantly fewer women who received the intervention delivered very preterm compared with a control group.

To test the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy, 691 pregnant women in Washington were studied between 2001 and 2004.

Those in the control group received routine prenatal care and each participant in the intervention group received a tailored counselling session that was adapted from interventions for smoking reduction.

The sessions concentrated on strategies within the home to eliminate or minimize exposure to tobacco smoke.

"This is the first randomised clinical trial demonstrating efficacy of a cognitive-behavioural intervention targeting ETSE in pregnancy," the research authors said.

A recent study carried out by the University of Pennsylvania, US, revealed another factor affecting the risk of preterm birth.

According to the research, the successful treatment of periodontal disease can significantly lower incidence rates.