Tobacco Use and Women's Health.

Tobacco use negatively affects every organ system and is the most prevalent cause of premature death for adults within the United States. Compared with women who are nonsmokers, women who smoke cigarettes have greater risks of reproductive health problems, many forms of gynecologic cancer and other types of cancer, coronary and vascular disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, and osteoporosis. Brief behavioral counseling and the use of evidence-based smoking cessation aids are effective strategies for achieving smoking cessation even for very heavy smokers. The trained obstetrician–gynecologist is well positioned to screen and counsel all patients on tobacco use and to advocate for smoke-free environments. Smoking cessation counseling is often reimbursed by health insurers. Tobacco use has deleterious effects on women through all stages of life. Tools are available for obstetrician–gynecologists to screen for and treat tobacco abuse and give the appropriate coding for smoking cessation counseling. Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women This information should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed. COMMITTEE OPINION Number 503 • September 2011 (Reaffirmed 2015) The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Women’s Health Care Physicians