Smoking by Pregnant Teens Trends Upward Again

HYATTSVILLE, Md-The number of teenagers who smoke while pregnant is on the rise again. Data from a new National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) study show that smoking among pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 19 increased to 17.2% in 1995 and 1996 after declining for several years. Non-Hispanic whites, at 29%, had the highest rate of smoking among pregnant teenagers. The study found a significant decline overall in smoking by pregnant women, from almost 20% in 1990 to 14% in 1996.