Comparing CO Breath Testing and Self-Reporting of Smoking in Pregnant Women
Author Information
Author(s): Zara Usmani, Pauline Craig, Deborah Shipton, David Tappin
Primary Institution: University of Glasgow
Hypothesis
Is the carbon monoxide breath test an effective method for identifying smoking during pregnancy compared to self-reported smoking behavior?
Conclusion
The study found that a cut-off of 8 ppm for CO breath tests misses many smokers, suggesting a need for lower cut-off levels to better identify smoking in pregnant women.
Supporting Evidence
- 546 out of 2548 women self-reported as current smokers.
- A cut-off of 8 ppm identified only 325 out of 546 self-reported smokers.
- Lower cut-off levels of 2 or 3 ppm improved sensitivity and specificity for identifying smokers.
Takeaway
The breath test for smoking during pregnancy isn't very good at catching all smokers, so we might need to change the rules to help more moms-to-be who smoke.
Methodology
Data on self-reported smoking were assessed alongside breath CO levels from women attending antenatal booking over 12 months.
Potential Biases
Self-reported smoking status may be inaccurate due to social pressures leading to denial of smoking.
Limitations
The study could not control for the timing of the last cigarette smoked, which may affect CO readings.
Participant Demographics
Women attending antenatal care in Glasgow, with a reported smoking prevalence of 21.4%.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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