Running Head: The Study of Effects of Smoking in Pregnant Women 1 The Study of Effects of Smoking in Pregnant Women 4 The Study of Effects of Smoking in Pregnant Women A Capstone Proposal Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Healthcare Administration Purdue Global University A Study of Effects of Smoking in Pregnant Women Smoking during pregnancy carries considerable dangers to both mother and the unborn baby. Prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking (PEMCS) is linked, therefore, with many different obstetric complications such as an augmented danger of ectopic pregnancy, fetal development limitation, placental previa and abruption, preterm premature rip apart of the membranes, preterm delivery, unexpected newborn death syndrome, and oral facial clefts among others. Despite these risks, women still smoke during pregnancy. There is, therefore, a great need to develop policies and interventions such as discovering what can help the women to cease smoking, in order to reduce these risks. As such, alternatives such as the use of electronic cigarettes can be introduced to the pregnant smokers. Treatment for smoking can also be offered to women during pregnancy. Background The following section will discuss the background of the topic. Smoking during pregnancy exposes the mother and unborn child to great risks. Prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking (PEMCS) is linked, therefore, with many different obstetric complications. According to Bauld (2017), the complications could range from an augmented danger of ectopic pregnancy, fetal development limitation, placental previa and abruption, preterm premature rip apart of the membranes, preterm delivery, unexpected newborn death syndrome, and oral facial clefts. Anblagan et al., (2013) includes more risks such as the development of respiratory diseases, gestational bleeding, obesity and obesity associated disorders like cardiovascular as well as diabetes results that start when the child reaches puberty. However, intrauterine growth restriction is the most common of them all. Considering all these risks and the fact that women who smoke carry on with this habit during pregnancy, there is a great need to develop policies and interventions that would address this matter. As such, there is need to discover what can be given to these women to help in cessation. General Problem Statement The general problem is that there are limited researches that detail about smoking patterns in pregnant women. A research by Eiden et al., (2013) indicates a shifting trajectory in pregnant smokers and major changes in due course within each trajectory. This element is important as it has the prospective to notify timing of smoking cessation intervention. Specific Problem Statement The specific problem is that there is little information about the stability of cessation efforts on the elements that distinguish women who effectively minimize smoking during.