Pattern, Knowledge, and Attitude of Pregnant Women towards Smoking in Saudi Arabia

Aims: To evaluate knowledge about the risks of tobacco use during pregnancy, attitudes towards preventive measures, and smoking patterns among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in Saudi Arabia from February to May 2023 on 571 pregnant women. The knowledge level was considered as fair if 50% to 75% of the questions were answered correctly, and as good if >75% of the questions were answered correctly. A Likert-type scale was used to assess their attitudes towards smoking prevention measures. Results: Of the participants, 9.3% were current smokers (79.16% smoked both shisha and cigarettes), and 87.5% were exposed to secondhand smoke. Most current smokers (66.1%) had tried to quit smoking, and 86.8% had been advised by their doctors to quit smoking during pregnancy. The mean knowledge score was 7.67 of studied females, indicating good knowledge. The mean attitude score was 42.65 +/- 6.31, and 81.6% had a positive attitude towards smoking preventive measures. Participants with bachelor's degrees, a parity of 1-3, health problems during pregnancy, and chronic diseases were more likely to have a good knowledge level. However, a non -significant relationship was found between participants' attitude and their demographic and obstetric data. Conclusions: Most of the women had fair knowledge regarding the risks of smoking during pregnancy and a positive attitude towards smoking preventive measures. Further, pregnant women need to be educated about protecting their health and the health of their fetuses from secondhand smoke during pregnancy.