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Tobacco Use by Pregnant Women, United States

Figure 1: Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy by Race/Ethnicity, Age, and Education,* 1999

*Years ofeducation includes only women aged 25 years and older.

Source: Birth Certificates, CDC, NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.

Graph shows women who smoked while pregnant in 1999, by race/ethnicity, age, and education.

All, 12.6%

By Race/Ethnicity

• Hispanic, 3.7%
• White, 15.9%
• Black, 9.4%
• Asian/Pacific Islander, 2.7%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, 20.6

By Age

• Age less than 20 years, 18.0%
• Age 20 to 24 years, 16.7%
• Age 25 to 34 years, 9.9%
• Age greater than 34 years, 9.8%

By Years of Education*

• Less than 12 years of education, 20.9%
• 12 years of education, 16.7%
• Greater than 12 years of education, 5.1%

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Figure 2: Percentage of Infants with Low Birth Weight, by Mother's Smoking Status, 1999

Source: Birth Certificates, CDC, NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.

Graph shows low birth weights for smokers and nonsmokers in the United States, in 1999.

Heading: Less than 1500 grams

• Smokers, 1.9%
• Nonsmokers, 1.4%

Heading: 1500 to 2499 grams

• Smokers, 10.2%
• Nonsmokers, 5.8%

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Figure 3: Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy, by State, 1998

Source: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

Graph shows women who smoked during pregnancy in 1998, by state.

• Alabama, 14.4%
• Alaska, 18.7%
• Arkansas, 20.0%
• Colorado, 13.3%
• Florida, 13.4%
• Illinois, 13.8%
• Louisiana, 14.1%
• Maine, 19.1%
• New Mexico, 11.5%
• New York, 13.8%
• North Carolina, 15.7%
• Oklahoma, 18.6%
• South Carolina, 15.1%
• Washington, 13.0%
• West Virginia, 27.7%

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Figure 4: Smoking Among Pregnant Women, United States, 1989–1999

Source: Birth Certificates, CDC, NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.

Graph shows smoking among pregnant women from 1989–1999:

Heading: Year

• 1989, 19.5%
• 1990, 18.4%
• 1991, 17.8%
• 1992, 16.9%
• 1993, 15.8%
• 1994, 14.6%
• 1995, 13.9%
• 1996, 13.6%
• 1997, 13.2%
• 1998, 12.9%
• 1999, 12.6%

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Figure 5: Percentage of Women Aged 25 Years and Older of Different Ethnic and Racial Groups Who Smoked During Pregnancy, by Years of Education, United States, 1999

Source: Birth Certificates, CDC, NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.

Graph shows women aged 25 years and older who smoked during pregnancy in 1999, by years of education:

Heading: Hispanic

• Less than 12 years of education, 3.6%
• 12 years of education, 3.9%
• More than 12 years of education, 2.2%

Heading: White

• Less than 12 years of education, 43.4%
• 12 years of education, 21.0%
• More than 12 years of education, 5.5%

Heading: Black

• Less than 12 years of education, 27.9%
• 12 years of education, 12.2%
• More than 12 years of education, 4.8%

Heading: Asian/Pacific Islander

• Less than 12 years of education, 3.0%
• 12 years of education, 3.6%
• More than 12 years of education, 1.1%

Heading: American Indian/Alaska Native

• Less than 12 years of education, 30.3%
• 12 years of education, 20.7%
• More than 12 years of education, 11.4%

Table
Percentage of mothers who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy and percentage change between 1989 and 1999, by state of residence.

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Date last reviewed: 06/18/2009
Content source: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion