UHNM research trial aims to help mums-to-be quit smoking easier

Lisa Peake, tobacco dependency practitioner

Mums-to-be are being encouraged to take part in a national research trial at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) designed to make it easier to stop smoking during pregnancy. 

The SNAP-3 trial is exploring how to improve the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) as a stop smoking aid for pregnant women. 

The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and led nationally by the University of Nottingham, will randomly allocate participants to one of two treatments, either the current gold-standard NHS stop smoking support including NRT or the same support with additional telephone coaching and advice on using NRT in a new way.

SNAP-3 is open to women who are less than 25 weeks pregnant and smoke five or more cigarettes a day. The study aims to recruit 1,430 women nationally.

Dr Angela Hancock, consultant midwife for public health, NIHR senior research leader and principal investigator for the SNAP-3 study at UHNM, said: “Stopping smoking in pregnancy is one of the best things a woman and her family  can do for a baby’s long-term health. The NHS already offers NRT free of charge to pregnant women and their families, and this study aims to understand whether enhanced ways of using it can help more women quit successfully.

“The aim of the SNAP-3 study is to test how effective nicotine replacement therapy can be when paired with enhanced behavioural support. We want to improve the ways we help pregnant women to use NRT confidently, giving them the best chance of stopping smoking.

“We hope to identify and invite women early in their pregnancy, either at their booking appointment or dating scan, so they can receive support as soon as possible. Participants will then be allocated to either the usual NHS support or the SNAP-3 intervention, which takes a slightly different approach to using NRT to encourage stopping smoking.”

Women taking part may be asked to provide saliva and breath samples, complete short questionnaires, and use a smartphone app to track their NRT use. Some may also be invited to take part in a telephone interview to share their experience of the study.