CHANDIGARH, 28.04.25-The Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, in collaboration with the Chandigarh Administration, organized a one-day counselling, training, and awareness workshop at Civil Hospital, Chandigarh. The event focused on educating pregnant women about the harmful effects of smokeless tobacco (SLT) use and promoting healthier choices during pregnancy.
This initiative was part of a Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) activity under the SERB-CRG project titled “Economic Evaluation and Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Behavior-Centered Intervention to Reduce Smokeless Tobacco (ST) Use Among Pregnant Women of Low Socio-Economic Status: A Randomized Control Trial in Urban Community Setting in India.”

Led by Dr. Madhu Gupta and Dr. Tanvi Kiran, faculty members at PGIMER, the workshop was supported by dedicated project staff and medical professionals including Dr. Navneet Kaur (SMO, Civil Hospital, Sector 45), Dr. Shefali, and Dr. Savita (Gynaecologist). The team conducted interactive sessions with pregnant women, emphasizing the adverse consequences of SLT use during pregnancy—such as preterm birth, low birth weight, preeclampsia, miscarriage, stillbirth, developmental delays, and oral health complications. “The long-term well-being of the child is contingent on the well being of the mother, thus it is imperative that the mother practice good health including total refrain from use of all forms of tobacco.” Said Dr. Madhu Gupta.

The workshop also introduced effective coping strategies for tobacco cessation, including mindfulness practices, meditation, family support reinforcement, and safer oral substitutes to manage cravings. Pregnant women currently using SLT were offered specialized behavioural intervention packages developed under the project.