Determining accuracy of self-reported smoking status in pregnant women

Cotinine-validated smoking status by deprivation was determined for a random sample of all pregnant women in the West of Scotland. The results of the study showed that reliance on self-report for identification of smoking status significantly underestimates the number of pregnant smokers in Scotland, and underestimates the gap in smoking prevalence between the most and least deprived areas. Reliance on self-report results in a failure to detect over 2500 smokers each year who are therefore not offered smoking cessation services.