Special Program to Help Pregnant Women Quit Tobacco
Mother’s Day is the perfect time to remind expectant families and women in their child-bearing years that QuitlineNC offers free help to them to quit smoking, so they can plan for a smoke-free baby and a healthy environment for babies and children.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking during pregnancy increases a woman’s risk of pregnancy complications or having the baby born too early or too small to be healthy. Babies with mothers who smoke during or after pregnancy are also at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (also known as SIDS or crib-death).
QuitlineNC offers free telephone support to help anyone quit tobacco, and has a special 10-call program for pregnant women. Women who stay with the program are more likely to quit and stay quit after the baby is born.
“Pregnancy can be a wonderful and busy and yet stressful time,” said Mary Perez, Montgomery County Health Director. “It is also an important time to make lifestyle changes that are good for a healthy baby – and for a healthy family, far into the future. QuitlineNC can offer the kind of help the expectant mother needs to quit and stay quit by providing practical, nonjudgmental support.“
Mother’s Day and every day, QuitlineNC is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For free help from QuitlineNC call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-Dejelo-Ya (1-800-335-3569). For more information, visitwww.QuitlineNC.com or contact the Montgomery County Health Department at (910) 572-1393.