Progesterone & Postpartum Relapse to Smoking

Pregnant women will be recruited at gestational weeks 33-36 who have quit smoking during pregnancy and are motivated to maintain abstinence after delivery. At the time of delivery, women will be randomly assigned to receive 4 weeks of active or placebo exogenous progesterone starting on the 4th day postpartum. Participants will be in contact with study staff either by phone or clinic visits until 12 weeks postpartum to collect data on smoking status and protocol compliance, measure serum progesterone levels and receive behavioral counseling.

Inclusion criteria

• Woman
• 18-35 years old
• Zero CPD for past 4 weeks
• 5 or more CPD for at least 6 out of past 12 months
• Motivated to remain abstinent (7 or higher out of 10)
• Stable physical/mental health
• Established prenatal care
• Stable physical/mental health
• Willing to take Progesterone
• Willing to use double-barrier protection if sexually active
• English fluency
• Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Psychotropic medications
• Illicit drugs
• Other types of tobacco, NRT, smoking cessation medications
• Pregnancy complications (Diabetes, Anomaly, Fetal growth restriction, HTN, Hx of >2 miscarriages)
• Current use of: Finasteroid (propecia), Efavirenz, Red Clover, Ketoconazole, CYP3A4 Inhibitors
• History of: Thrombophelitis, Deep vein thrombosis, Pulmonary embolus, Clotting disorder, Bleeding disorder, Heart disease, Diabetes, Stroke, Peanut allergy, Liver dysfunction, Hypersensitivity to progesterone