Can psychosocial interventions help pregnant women who smoke stop smoking?

Smoking during pregnancy is a leading preventable cause of complications for both mother and baby. Psychosocial interventions are non-drug approaches that include counseling, health education, feedback on smoking effects, social support, and incentives. Large systematic reviews show that these interventions increase the number of women who stop smoking during pregnancy compared with usual care or less intensive support.

What the research says

A 2026 Cochrane review (the most up-to-date) included 127 randomized trials and found that psychosocial interventions improve smoking abstinence in late pregnancy ²¹⁰. The review covered counseling, health education, feedback, social support, incentives, and exercise, compared with usual care or less intensive alternatives ²¹⁰. An earlier 2017 Cochrane review, which included 102 trials with over 28,000 women, also found that such interventions increased quit rates, with moderate to high quality evidence ⁹. The 2026 update incorporated new studies up to November 2025, confirming that the benefit persists ²¹⁰. A 2024 study protocol describes an organizational intervention using the '5As' method (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) to help pregnant smokers quit, and this approach is being tested in a large trial ¹¹. Overall, the evidence consistently supports that psychosocial interventions are effective, though the exact quit rate varies by intervention type and setting.

What to ask your doctor

• What smoking cessation programs or counseling services are available for pregnant women at this clinic?
• Would a program that includes incentives or rewards for quitting be an option for me?
• How can I get support from a smoking cessation specialist during my pregnancy?
• Are there any group classes or one-on-one sessions that focus on quitting smoking while pregnant?
• Can you refer me to a program that uses the '5As' method or other proven strategies?