Effectiveness of brief counseling (5As): Antenatal tobacco cessation support program among pregnant women availing antenatal care

INTRODUCTION: It is likely that a pregnant woman is more motivated and receptive to accepting healthy habits and practices if talked about the benefits to the fetus. When explained about the harmful effects of tobacco on the health of the baby, the mother can be encouraged to modify her tobacco consumption habits and work toward quitting tobacco. AIM: Our aim was to study the effectiveness of brief counseling (5As)—Antenatal Tobacco Cessation Support Program among pregnant women availing antenatal care (ANC). METHODOLOGY: A quasi-randomized study design was used to conduct the study. The participants were identified by screening during ANC visits, and women consuming tobacco were subjected to detailed history taking and very brief counseling with the help of 5A’s framework. RESULTS: We found that Mishri was the commonest form of tobacco consumed by these women. Around 93.33% of the women consume Mishri, followed by 6.66% of women consuming chewing tobacco. The method of brief counseling made an impact in the cessation of tobacco consumption in 13.37% of the study subjects. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the use of brief counseling and motivational interviewing is feasible in most settings without inhibiting the other important aspects of ANC or disrupting the patient flow.