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Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPSLeibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS

For a Smoke-Free Home During Pregnancy and Beyond

Prevention and Evaluation Press

A smoke-free home protects both mother and child — during pregnancy and after birth. But willpower alone often isn’t enough to quit smoking. Bremen is now launching a new counseling program that provides targeted support for expectant mothers.

Healthy through pregnancy and babyhood: A new counseling program in Bremen helps families quit smoking.

Many parents-to-be decide to quit smoking at the beginning of pregnancy. According to estimates from the Robert Koch Institute (2021), however, 7 to 9 percent of pregnant women still smoke. Among pregnant women living in difficult circumstances, that rate is significantly higher. There is little data on how much pregnant women and newborns are exposed to secondhand smoke. Overall, existing research shows that willpower alone is not enough for most people to quit smoking.

“As trusted professionals, midwives are especially well suited to address the topic of a ‘smoke-free home’ openly and without judgment,” explains Prof. Dr. Hajo Zeeb, head of the Department of Prevention and Evaluation at the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS in Bremen. That’s why, as part of the project “Smoke-Free Home During Pregnancy and Early Childhood,” midwives in Bremen are offering systematic counseling and support to help families quit smoking and create a smoke-free environment. The project is being implemented by the home visitation program Pro Kind, DRK-Kreisverband Bremen e.V., and the midwife centers West and East, with scientific support from BIPS. Christine Sellschopp, head of Pro Kind Bremen, explains: “For a long time, we’ve supported the families we work with — who often live in challenging circumstances — in creating a ‘smoke-free home.’ We’ve also learned how important it is to maintain a supportive, motivating, and nonjudgmental approach. We’re now excited to apply this new, proven method developed by the BIPS project and to benefit from its scientific evaluation, which will help improve the quality of our work in the future.”

The counseling concept was developed in Australia under the direction of Prof. Gillian Gould at Southern Cross University, working with pregnant women from Indigenous communities. The approach includes breath tests to precisely assess smoking behavior, evidence-based strategies for behavior change, and specific consideration of the families’ personal and social circumstances. For individuals with strong nicotine dependence, nicotine replacement therapy is also used. The trial phase of the project begins in October 2025 and ends in April 2026. BIPS will study how well this counseling approach is accepted and implemented in the German context, and whether there are early indications of effectiveness. “Our goal is to find out how well the approach works in families’ daily lives and whether it shows lasting positive effects,” says Dr. Tilman Brand, head of the unit Social Epidemiology at BIPS. The project is funded by the Deutsche Krebshilfe.

The BIPS - health research in the service of people
The population is at the center of our research. As an epidemiological research institute, we see it as our task to identify the causes of health disorders and develop new concepts for the prevention of diseases. Our research provides the basis for political decisions. It informs the population about health risks and contributes to a healthy living environment. BIPS is a member of the Leibniz Association, which comprises 96 independent research institutes. The focus of the Leibniz Institutes ranges from the natural, engineering and environmental sciences to economics, spatial and social sciences and the humanities. Leibniz Institutes are dedicated to socially, economically and ecologically relevant issues. Due to their national importance, the federal and state governments jointly fund the institutes of the Leibniz Association. The Leibniz Institutes employ around 20,000 people, including 10,000 scientists.

DRK-Kreisverband Bremen e.V.
The DRK-Kreisverband Bremen e.V. supports people in their everyday lives and in emergency situations. More than 1,400 employees carry out essential community services — whether in childcare, residential or outpatient youth services, family education, social services, emergency medical and rescue services, healthcare, the Center for School and Career, integration and refugee assistance, support for older adults, or disaster relief. Numerous volunteers also make an important contribution across the wide range of activities of the Bremen District Association.