Preventive Interventions to Reduce Second-Hand Smoke Exposure Among Non-Smoking Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The alarming number of smokers have increased public health concerns regarding the effects of second-hand smoke (SHS) on non-smokers, especially amongst pregnant women and unborn babies. This paper aims to review the existing interventions used to reduce SHS exposure amongst non-smoking pregnant women. This review was guided by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) review method. Published articles were identified through three databases: ProQuest, Science Direct, and Scopus within the 2010–2021 timeframe. Articles related to the intervention to reduce SHS exposure among non-smoking pregnant women were included. Nine studies were identified and reviewed. Most of the preventive interventions primarily focused on pregnant women as the target group, whereas a few interventions directly focused on changing the smoking behaviour of their spouses. This review suggests that using theories as a foundation in designing the intervention effectively reduces exposure to SHS among non-smoking pregnant women. The main limitation as reported by most studies was the lack of biochemical verification. Thus, future intervention should consider both pregnant women and their smoking spouses as the target group and include relevant theories in clinical intervention.