Smoking Prevalence Among Women of Reproductive Age, United States—2006

August 8, 2008 / Vol. 57 / No. 31

MMWR Introduction

According to 2006 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), smoking prevalence among U.S. women of reproductive age (18–44) can vary up to six-fold based on their location. Although the median prevalence was 22.4%, the range is as low as 5.8% in the U. S. Virgin Islands to 34.7% in Kentucky. Preventing and reducing of tobacco use among women of reproductive age are essential to reducing the burden of reproductive health complications from smoking, adverse health effects of children's exposure to secondhand smoke, and improving the life expectancy of the women themselves.