The authors present an account of the further development of smoking behaviour ofmothersandits associationswithothercharacteristicsofthelifestyleandhealth status of women in the cohort of the ELSPAC trial. Six months after delivery the women completed the questionnaire PN-6/1 ("maternity"). It was focused on their lifestyle, health status and problem of child care. According to the smoking behaviour the mothers were divided into three groups: non-smokers,mild smokers (1-9 cigarettes per day) and medium heavy and heavy smokers (10 and more cigarettes per day). The differences between smoking and non-smoking mothers were evaluated statistically in the SPSS and EPI INFO programme. A total of 4 581women replied: 76.2%did not smoke, 23.8%smoked: the prevalence of smoking women six months after delivery thus reached the level recorded 9 months before pregnancy after a transient marked reduction of the number of smokers: at the time closely before and after delivery some 7 % women smoked. The smokers had in many respects a poorer health status than non-smokers: a higher rate of subjective sensations of poorer health and various diseases on account of which they had to see a doctor or they were admitted to hospital. In the majority the rate was higher already among mild smokers and highest in the group of medium and heavy smokers. The effect of smoking was most frequently manifestedbydiseases oftheairwaysbuttherewasalsoanassociationwithgastric ulcers and indicators related to reproduction. From the results of the prospective longitudinal ELSPAC study it is obvious that at the beginning of the nineties the opportunities of aimed anti-smoking counselling of expectant parents were missed which could have used such an important motivation as pregnancy and maternity. It is important to change the approach of all health workers to smoking of their patients and clients. Clear wording of recommendations to quit smoking and professional assistance to cope with deprivation symptoms should be a routine part of medical care.

        Key words: maternity - smoking - trends