Loading…

Effects of voucher-based incentives on abstinence from cigarette smoking and fetal growth among pregnant women

ABSTRACT Aims  This study examined whether voucher‐based reinforcement therapy (VBRT) contingent upon smoking abstinence during pregnancy is an effective method for decreasing maternal smoking during pregnancy and improving fetal growth. Design, setting and participants  A two‐condition, parallel‐gr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Addiction (Abingdon, England) England), 2008-06, Vol.103 (6), p.1009-1018
Main Authors: Heil, Sarah H., Higgins, Stephen T., Bernstein, Ira M., Solomon, Laura J., Rogers, Randall E., Thomas, Colleen S., Badger, Gary J., Lynch, Mary Ellen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT Aims  This study examined whether voucher‐based reinforcement therapy (VBRT) contingent upon smoking abstinence during pregnancy is an effective method for decreasing maternal smoking during pregnancy and improving fetal growth. Design, setting and participants  A two‐condition, parallel‐groups, randomized controlled trial was conducted in a university‐based research clinic. A total of 82 smokers entering prenatal care participated in the trial. Intervention  Participants were assigned randomly to either contingent or non‐contingent voucher conditions. Vouchers exchangeable for retail items were available during pregnancy and for 12 weeks postpartum. In the contingent condition, vouchers were earned for biochemically verified smoking abstinence; in the non‐contingent condition, vouchers were earned independent of smoking status. Measurements  Smoking outcomes were evaluated using urine‐toxicology testing and self‐report. Fetal growth outcomes were evaluated using serial ultrasound examinations performed during the third trimester. Findings  Contingent vouchers significantly increased point‐prevalence abstinence at the end‐of‐pregnancy (41% versus 10%) and at the 12‐week postpartum assessment (24% versus 3%). Serial ultrasound examinations indicated significantly greater growth in terms of estimated fetal weight, femur length and abdominal circumference in the contingent compared to the non‐contingent conditions. Conclusions  These results provide further evidence that VBRT has a substantive contribution to make to efforts to decrease maternal smoking during pregnancy and provide new evidence of positive effects on fetal health.
ISSN:0965-2140
1360-0443
DOI:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02237.x