HMN 2025: How Public information is high on smoking and alcohol dangers throughout {pregnancy}

Most Americans know that it is vital for somebody to handle their well being earlier than getting pregnant and through {pregnancy} to extend their likelihood of getting a wholesome child. Many folks know, as an example, that smoking or consuming alcohol can have detrimental results throughout {pregnancy}, growing the chance {that a} child is delivered early, is underweight, or has beginning defects.

But many individuals are uncertain of different consequential information that impacts having a wholesome {pregnancy} and wholesome child, in accordance with an Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) well being survey. The maternal well being survey, performed with a pattern of greater than 1,600 U.S. empaneled adults from April 15–28, 2025, finds that most individuals are unsure about which vaccinations are secure and really useful for pregnant folks by medical professionals and what the suitable {pregnancy} weight acquire is for a wholesome particular person.

The following findings for adults 18 and older additionally spotlight responses from the subset of survey respondents who’re ladies of childbearing age, 18–49 years outdated, when their responses differ considerably from the general public. (See the topline.)

“Because these round us affect our well being selections, individuals of childbearing age and their households and mates ought to know the dangers of smoking and alcohol use earlier than, throughout, and after {pregnancy} and which vaccines ought to and shouldn’t be taken throughout {pregnancy},” stated Patrick E. Jamieson, director of the coverage heart’s Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s April 2025 well being survey finds that:

• Most U.S. adults know among the elements that contribute to a wholesome {pregnancy}, however there are gaps of their information—for instance, many do not know that iron dietary supplements are required just for folks with anemia or what a standard weight acquire throughout {pregnancy} is. Nearly 1 / 4 of the inhabitants doesn’t know that untreated hypertension can enhance the chance of stroke amongst pregnant folks.
• There’s uncertainty about which vaccinations medical professionals advocate as secure for pregnant folks—and fewer folks know right now that are really useful, in contrast with a 12 months in the past. Knowledge of which vaccines are really useful ranges from a few third of the general public to over half. Just 11% of the general public is aware of the measles vaccine is just not really useful for pregnant folks.

How to have a wholesome {pregnancy} and toddler

The overwhelming majority of survey respondents are educated about consequential behaviors and medical situations earlier than and through {pregnancy}, together with medical doctors’ suggestions about taking treatment and dietary supplements.

What most individuals get proper about {pregnancy} well being:

• Health throughout {pregnancy}: Nearly everybody (91%) is aware of that how effectively somebody takes care of their well being throughout {pregnancy} impacts their child’s well being.
• Health earlier than turning into pregnant: Nearly as many survey respondents (86%) know that how effectively an individual takes care of their well being earlier than getting pregnant impacts the well being of their child. But amongst ladies 18–49 years outdated, fewer (75%) get this proper, a drop from 86% in 2023.
• Diabetes: 80% say appropriately that pregnant people ought to be examined for diabetes.
• High blood strain: Nearly three-quarters (73%) appropriately say that untreated hypertension will increase the chance {that a} pregnant particular person can have a stroke. Nearly 1 / 4 (23%) usually are not positive if that is true.
• Folic acid: 71% know that people who find themselves or could develop into pregnant ought to take a every day vitamin containing folic acid, a B vitamin. This dropped from 76% in 2023.
• Natural immunity: 69% know that it is false to say that as a result of infants are born with pure immunity, they do not must be vaccinated in opposition to an sickness till they’re prone to be uncovered to it. But 15% incorrectly suppose that is true and 16% usually are not positive.

When asked to contemplate which of a number of statements is extra correct:

• Taking drugs: 87% of respondents say appropriately that if somebody finds out they’re pregnant, they need to speak with their physician earlier than stopping or beginning any drugs. However, that is true just for 78% of girls of childbearing age.
• Breastfeeding: Over three-quarters of respondents (77%) know that it is extra correct to say that breastfeeding benefits each the child and the mother or father than simply the child (12%), up from 71% when this query was asked in 2023.

What extra folks must know:

• Iron dietary supplements are wanted for individuals who are anemic: When asked what comes nearer to the advice made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relating to taking an iron complement throughout {pregnancy}, lower than half of respondents (42%) know that the advice that people who find themselves pregnant ought to take an iron complement if their well being care supplier finds that they are anemic is nearer to what the CDC recommends. About a fifth (19%) suppose that those that are pregnant ought to take an iron complement every single day. Another 39% usually are not positive which comes closest to what the CDC recommends.
• Normal weight acquire throughout {pregnancy}: The CDC recommends that an individual of regular weight ought to acquire between 25 and 35 kilos throughout their {pregnancy}. Less than half of these surveyed (46%) say an individual of regular weight ought to acquire between 25 and 35 lbs.—as in contrast with the 25% who say an individual of regular weight ought to acquire 5 to 10 lbs. throughout {pregnancy}, and 25% who usually are not positive.

Smoking, consuming, and {pregnancy}

In questions on the consequences of smoking and consuming alcohol throughout {pregnancy}, the survey finds that most individuals perceive the detrimental impacts and the way they are often prevented.

Avoiding detrimental impacts:

• Birth defects: 82% know that smoking throughout {pregnancy} will increase the possibilities that the child can have beginning defects.
• Early supply: 77% know that smoking throughout {pregnancy} will increase the possibilities that the child can be born early, up from 72% when this was asked in 2023.
• SIDS: 56% know smoking within the dwelling of a child will increase the possibilities that the child will die from sudden toddler demise syndrome, or SIDS. (See extra of our beforehand launched information on preventing SIDS.)
• Underweight: 81% know it is extra correct to say that smoking throughout {pregnancy} will increase the possibilities that the smoker’s child can be underweight at beginning (up from 76% in 2023), in contrast with the tiny numbers of those that say smoking will enhance the possibilities a child can be chubby (1%) or that it’s going to haven’t any impact (2%). Fifteen % usually are not positive which is appropriate.

Not consuming alcohol is one other technique to keep away from detrimental impacts—however ladies of childbearing age are much less probably than different folks (males and older ladies) to know that they need to abstain from alcohol if they’re looking for to get pregnant:

• Drinking alcohol: Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents say it is extra correct to say that somebody who desires to get pregnant ought to cease consuming each earlier than and through {pregnancy}, which is what the CDC advises. However, almost 1 / 4 (23%) suppose it is extra correct to say that somebody looking for to get pregnant ought to cease consuming as quickly as they study they’re pregnant.
  • Compared with the remainder of the inhabitants, ladies 18–49 are considerably much less prone to say that somebody who desires to get pregnant ought to cease consuming alcohol earlier than and through {pregnancy} (58% vs. 66%). In addition, the proportion of girls 18–49 years outdated who suppose, incorrectly, that it is extra correct to say consuming ought to cease as quickly as they study they’re pregnant elevated considerably to 25% from 17% in 2024.
• Drinking whereas pregnant: 84% know that it is false to assert that consuming wine or beer whereas pregnant is secure.

Fewer know which vaccines medical professionals advise throughout {pregnancy}

Medical professionals advocate that the majority pregnant folks take the next vaccines whereas they’re pregnant in the event that they haven’t but taken these vaccines throughout their {pregnancy}: Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), seasonal flu, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). (See the CDC’s recommendations here.)

The survey finds a major drop over bygone days 12 months, since April 2024, within the numbers of people that know that medical professionals advocate these three vaccines for many pregnant folks.

The measles vaccine (MMR) is just not really useful however the survey finds that most individuals are uncertain whether or not or not it is strongly recommended.

This part presents outcomes for the total grownup pattern and amongst ladies 18–49 years outdated. The ladies ages 18–49 are extra educated that medical doctors advocate the Tdap vaccine (52%) than the remainder of the inhabitants (31%). There are not any statistically vital variations between this subgroup and the remainder of the inhabitants in realizing that medical doctors advocate the opposite vaccines (flu and RSV) or realizing that medical doctors don’t advocate the MMR vaccine, although ladies 18–49 are much less unsure about which vaccines are really useful than everybody else.

• Tdap: Just over a 3rd of U.S. adults (37%) say medical professionals advocate that the majority people who find themselves pregnant ought to take the Tdap vaccine, down from 43% in April 2024, and 57% usually are not positive. Among ladies of childbearing age (18–49 years outdated), over half (52%) say that is appropriate whereas 39% usually are not positive. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of these not on this childbearing age group say they aren’t positive and simply 31% say that Tdap is really useful to pregnant ladies by medical professionals.
• Flu: Over half of U.S. adults (55%) know that medical professionals advocate the flu vaccine for pregnant folks, down from 60% in April 2024, whereas 39% usually are not positive. Women within the childbearing age group are much less prone to say they aren’t positive in regards to the flu vaccine suggestion than everybody else (32% vs. 42%).
• RSV: Less than half of U.S. adults (47%) know that the vaccine in opposition to RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is really useful for pregnant folks, down from 52% in April 2024, whereas an equal quantity (47%) usually are not positive. The proportion of girls of childbearing age who appropriately know that is really useful dropped 10 factors to 52% from 62% in 2024.
• Measles: The measles or MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella), is just not really useful throughout {pregnancy} as a result of it’s a stay virus vaccine, according to the CDC. There is quite a lot of public uncertainty about whether or not pregnant folks ought to get a measles vaccine: solely 11% appropriately know that medical professionals don’t advocate it for pregnant folks. Nearly 3 in 10 adults (29%) say incorrectly that medical professionals do advocate it for people who find themselves pregnant and 60% usually are not positive. Women of child-bearing age are much less prone to say they aren’t positive (52%) when in comparison with the remainder of the inhabitants (63%).

An APPC news release in May 2025 explored survey findings that the dangers of measles throughout {pregnancy} usually are not broadly understood.