Wauseon, OH: — Fulton County Health Department is trained and certified to offer the, BABY & ME – Tobacco Free Program to help pregnant women quit smoking and stay tobacco free. “According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), we must encourage pregnant smoking woman to consider a quit attempt. The BABY & ME – Tobacco Free Program is research-based and proven to help pregnant women quit smoking and maintain smoking cessation throughout the postpartum period and beyond.”
Laurie Adams, BABY & ME – Tobacco Free Program Executive Director and program creator, provided the technical support and training to Fulton County Health Department and certified one staff member to enroll women into the program. Pregnant women who enroll in the program receive counseling support and resources to help them quit smoking. Upon successfully quitting and staying tobacco free, enrolled participants are eligible for vouchers for FREE diapers for up to 12 months following the birth of their baby if they remain tobacco free. This program employs cessation methods and guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its effectiveness has been documented through research. The greatest gift a woman can give her baby is a tobacco-free pregnancy.
According to the 2016 Fulton County Health Assessment 13% of Fulton County adults were current smokers. The 2014 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System reported current smoker prevalence rates were 21% for Ohio and 18% for the U.S. Tobacco use during pregnancy is a known cause of birth defects, premature births, underweight babies, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Quitting smoking greatly reduces the health risks to the mother and baby.
The BABY & ME – Tobacco Free Program, conducted at The Fulton Health Department is generously funded by the ODH Maternal and Child Health Grant. Our goal is to enroll at least 10 participants into the program. The BABY & ME – Tobacco Free Program is in 15 states nationwide and has enrolled over 7,000 women.
For more information on the program or how to enroll contact Deb Weirauch, RN at the Fulton County Health Department (419) 337-0915 or visit our website www.fultoncountyhealthdept.com
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