As health experts in Teesside raise awareness of the support available to people who smoke, its research team has highlighted two studies it is part of to help pregnant women.
The research team at the University Hospital of North Tees is part of two national trials looking to improve the support for women who are expecting – as the organisation takes part in a wider campaign to help people quit as part of the Stoptober campaign this month.
The first study, SNAP 2, is looking at the impact nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and a special ‘baby, me and NRT’ support package may have.
While the second study, SNAP 3, is looking to find out if three ways of NRT in pregnancy can help women stop smoking when compared to routine support.
NRT is a way of giving smokers a dose of nicotine in a safer way, such as patches or chewing gum.
Helping pregnant women use NRT
Vicky Collins, research associate practitioner, who is the principal investigator for SNAP 2, said: “NRT products are available free of charge during pregnancy, but many women do not use them in sufficient doses or for long enough to get the best results.
“This study is looking at whether the new ‘baby, me and NRT’ support package can help pregnant women to use enough NRT.
“All participants will be offered NRT and six telephone or video consultations with a stop smoking practitioner. Those in the ‘baby, me and NRT group’ will receive additional support and resources.
“Research data is then being collected using a mobile phone app and online surveys, along with saliva samples at various timepoints.
“Recruiting women to these studies is always a challenge and our staff have done brilliantly to do so, so much so that other study sites have come to us for advice around how we have done it.”
One of highest performing research sites
Sharon Gowans, research midwife and principal investigator for SNAP 3, said: “The NHS currently advises that pregnant women should not use NRT if they smoke – but some research suggests allowing women to use both at the same time could help stop smoking more successfully.
“This trial is looking at the effect of using both in three different ways – doing so before a quit date, doing so in recovery from brief lapses to smoking and doing so for smoking reduction.
“The intervention will be delivered alongside standard NHS stop smoking support, and compared to standard support alone.
“As Vicky says, it is a challenge to recruit – there are so many people who vape now and these women can’t take part in the trial.
“Despite this, we are one of the highest performing sites and that is thanks to the fantastic work of our research team and maternity teams, as well as the willingness of pregnant women to be involved.”
Both studies are being run by the clinical trials unit at the University of Nottingham.