# Tobacco product cessation and prenatal care utilization: A Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System phase 8 study of conventional cigarette, e-cigarette, and dual-use associated behaviors

**Authors:** Rathika Damodara Shenoy, Michael Weitzman, Juan M. Acuña

PMC · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0343423 · PLOS One · 2026-03-03

## TL;DR

The study finds that socio-demographic factors and prenatal care influence quitting tobacco products during pregnancy, with higher cessation rates for e-cigarettes compared to conventional cigarettes.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into how socio-demographic and prenatal care factors uniquely affect cessation of different tobacco products during pregnancy.

## Key findings

- Cessation rates were higher for e-cigarettes (81.0%) compared to conventional cigarettes (53.7%) and dual-use (48.1%).
- Primiparity and higher APNCU scores were associated with increased odds of quitting across all tobacco product types.
- Black race and Hispanic ethnicity were positively associated with quitting conventional cigarettes and dual-use.

## Abstract

Pregnancy is a critical window for tobacco cessation; socio-demographic correlates and prenatal care (PNC) utilization behaviors associated with quitting e-cigarette and dual use with conventional cigarettes remain understudied.

To examine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics and PNC utilization in the cessation of cigarette, e-cigarette, and dual-use during pregnancy, using Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2016–2022) data.

We analyzed data from 223,793 respondents (weighted count = 11,475,844) with singleton births who reported cigarette and/or e-cigarette use during the three months before and the last three months of pregnancy. Socio-demographic and PNC cessation correlates for cigarette, e-cigarette, and dual-use were examined versus continuation using logistic regression analysis. The Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization (APNCU) Index assessed PNC. Associations were expressed as adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals [AOR (95%CIs)].

Tobacco product use declined from 16.9% pre-pregnancy to 7.5% by late pregnancy. Pregnancy-associated cessation rates were 53.7% for cigarettes, 81.0% for e-cigarettes, and 48.1% for dual-use. Primiparity was associated with higher odds of quitting across all groups: cigarettes [1.8 (1.6‒2.0)], e-cigarettes [1.6 (1.2‒2.1)], and dual-use [2.3 (95% CI: 1.7‒3.1)]. Black race and Hispanic ethnicity were positively associated with cessation of cigarettes and dual-use, while Black race was also associated with higher odds of EC cessation. A higher smoking frequency was associated with reduced cessation odds of cigarette [0.2 (0.2‒0.3)] and dual-use [0.3 (0.2‒0.4)], while a higher vaping frequency was associated with reduced e-cigarette cessation [0.3 (0.2‒0.5)]. Inadequate APNCU Index was associated with lower odds of quitting cigarettes [0.6 (0.5‒0.7)] and dual-use [0.6 (0.4‒0.9)], but showed no significant association with e-cigarette cessation [0.9 (0.6‒1.5)].

Distinct socio-demographic and PNC factors influence cessation patterns by product type. Findings underscore potential opportunities to integrate PNC with targeted cessation support, particularly for high-risk groups amid rising e-cigarette and dual use during pregnancy.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** depression (MESH:D003866), pregnancy loss (MESH:D000022), unintended pregnancy (MESH:D011254), EC (OMIM:188890), fetal growth restriction (MESH:D005317), nicotine dependence (MESH:D014029), PNC (MESH:D049188), abuse (MESH:D019966), psychiatric conditions (MESH:D001523)
- **Chemicals:** Alcohol (MESH:D000438), CC (-), nicotine (MESH:D009538)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Nicotiana tabacum (American tobacco, species) [taxon 4097]

## Full text

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## References

46 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12956092/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12956092