It's the label that plenty of smokers see on a cigarette pack...the Surgeon General's health warning, especially for women who are expecting. But despite the warning, smoking becomes an addiction for many.
LaKaya Dekle is seven months pregnant and is trying to stop smoking.
LaKaya Dekle, Augusta, GA: "Once it becomes a habit, it becomes your best friend and for me this is a big step and it's not easy sometimes."
Lakaya and three other mothers took a step in the right direction and became a part of MCG's COMMIT program. This is a program aimed at helping pregnant women to stop smoking. COMMIT is made possible by a $15,000 grant from the March of Dimes. There are plenty of risk factors for babies whose mothers smoke: low birth weight, lifelong disabilities, asthma and even death.
Dr. Janie Heath, MCG: "We know that when it comes to infant mortality, when it comes to low birth weighs, and pre-term babies, that our statistics in the state of Georgia are higher then the national statistics."
The program is six weeks. Doctors target the mothers' smoking behavior. Lakya admits to smoking during her last pregnancy. but wants to change this time around.
LaKaya Dekle: "I've learned techniques on other things that I can do besides smoke. It's not good to quit cold turkey...you gradually cut down."
A mother's emotional and biological response to smoking is also looked at. This is where doctors teach mothers how to cope with stress in life and finding other avenues of de-stressing, instead of smoking.
Dr. Heath: "Nicotine is a drug and it's the most powerful drug that's out there to break."
LaKaya Dekle:"You can do it if you want to do it and it's all about will power."
The grant was awarded for 24 mothers and there is still space available to those mothers who need help with nicotine addiction. The mothers in this program are also teamed up with a nursing student who will also help guide them throughout the duration of the six week program.
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