More women smoke while pregnant in Pittsburgh than in any of the other 50 largest American cities. This dismal statistic may soon change, though, with the help of new legislation and a media campaign that will be unveiled today.
Since 1991, Pittsburgh has been the city with the most mothers who reported smoking during pregnancy, according to The Right Start, a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics. In 2000, the most recent year from which data are available, an average of 9.6 percent of women in the 50 cities reported smoking while pregnant; in Pittsburgh, the number was a disturbing 23.3 percent.
Women who smoke during pregnancy are at higher risk for premature birth, pregnancy complications, low birth weight infants, stillbirth and infant mortality, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Not surprisingly, then, Pittsburgh also had more low birth weight babies --- defined as less than 5 1/2 pounds -- and premature births -- less than 37 weeks of pregnancy -- than average, according to the Casey Foundation.
State Sen. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, has introduced legislation that would require that notices of the health risks smoking poses to babies be posted at the entrances and on the sales counters of all stores that sell tobacco products, much like the current signs that warn against selling tobacco products to minors.
In addition, representatives of the Smoke Free Mothers/Smoke Free Families Coalition and Tobacco Free Allegheny will announce details of the media campaign that will be launched on June 23 to publicize the dangers of smoking during pregnancy. The campaign will consist of broadcast, print and billboard ads.
Tobacco Free Allegheny, a nonprofit subsidiary of the Allegheny County Health Department, uses funds from a legal settlement with the tobacco industry to help people quit smoking.
Robert Nelkin, director of Smoke Free Mothers/Smoke Free Families, said most people are shocked when they learn that Pittsburgh is the worst city in the country for maternal smoking.
"When I saw the data, I thought, 'This is terrible,' " he said. "We can do better, I know that."
Women who quit smoking during pregnancy reduce the risk of having a baby with low birthweight by about 20 percent, according for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Karen Hoffmann can be reached at khoffmann@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1994.
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