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The NIHR Dissemination Centre published a new themed review in February which focusses on women's health before, during and after pregnancy.

Smoking during pregnancy causes many adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is effective for cessation outside pregnancy but efficacy and safety in pregnancy are unknown. 
- Sue Cooper, University of Nottingham

The NIHR review consolidates evidence to improve health and well-being across the areas of smoking, healthy diet and weight, alcohol and drugs, mental health, violence against women, and supporting families using multifaceted approaches. The review is aimed particularly at healthcare professionals working with women around the time of pregnancy but is also of interest to colleagues with a wider interest in women's health.

The SNAP trial, featured on page 39, was SPCR funded and based at the University of Nottingham. The aim of the randomised placebo-controlled trial was to compare at delivery, the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for achieving biochemically validated smoking cessation of NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) patches with placebo patches in pregnancy, and behaviour, development and disability in infants at 2 years of age.

The results indicate that adherence to both the NRT patches and placebo patches was low. The authors concluded that NRT had no enduring, significant effect on smoking in pregnancy; however, 2-year-olds born to women who used NRT were more likely to have survived without any developmental impairment. Read more.

The publication: The SNAP trial: a randomised placebo-controlled trial of nicotine replacement therapy in pregnancy--clinical effectiveness and safety until 2 years after delivery, with economic evaluation.