About 15% of pregnant mothers smoke in early pregnancy, and half of them smoke through pregnancy. The prevalence of smoking during pregnancy in Finland has remained almost unchanged for decades, although its significant decline has been achieved in other Nordic countries at the same time. In addition, the smoking of Finns has generally decreased over the years, but smoking of pregnant women has remained unchanged, although the health damage and risks to the fetus and the future individual are undeniable and significant.
The aim of the “Pregnancy Without Tobacco” project is to focus nationally on smoking during pregnancy and its prevention. Locally, cooperation is provided with school and student health care, the counseling sector (prevention, maternity and family counseling) and preventive drug work and family counseling.
The project utilizes existing good practices, educates health professionals, and strives to strengthen locally provided peer support for pregnant women. Healthcare professionals are trained in pilot areas in a knowledgeable and skillful way, and the aim of the project is to increase the knowledge of professionals about the effects of smoking during pregnancy, and to provide tools and tools for dealing with smoking cessation and providing support at receptions. The smoking of spouses of clients of prevention, maternity and family counseling is also taken into account in the implementation of the project.
The project cooperates with primary health care, specialized medical care, polytechnics and THL. Local trainings are organized in a few pilot cities with which the project aims to develop the skills of professionals and the support they provide to their clients, to instill good practices, and to develop and apply new ways of influencing the smoking of pregnant women.
The results and outputs of the project are widely communicated to all professionals using different national channels and online. The project is three years old and started in spring 2017. Filha is responsible for the practical implementation and management of the project and is funded by the Health Promotion Fund.
For more information:
Lauri Peltonen
044-5487330
lauri.peltonen (at) filha.f
Krista Kauppinen
044-5442209
krista.kauppinen (at) filha.fi