Testing and improving a stop smoking app for pregnancy (eSupport)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility and optimisation of a prototype digital support package for smoking cessation in pregnancy (eSupport).
IRAS ID
366080
Contact name
Felix Naughton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of East Anglia
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
This study aims to test and improve a pregnancy-specific version of the Smoke Free app. This version is designed to offer support similar to NHS care for stopping smoking during pregnancy, but it can be accessed at any time without needing to speak to a human advisor. Instead, it includes a friendly chatbot that delivers advice on how to quit smoking, an information library and supportive notifications and messages. The chatbot can also help participants choose suitable quit products, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or a vape (e-cigarette), if needed - but a human advisor will check this and verify eligibility (18+ for vapes). The app has been designed with people who have smoked during pregnancy and health professionals.
We plan to include 40 participants who currently smoke, are aged 18 years or older, are less than 25 weeks pregnant and are willing to make a quit attempt. They will be split into 3-4 groups, one after another, to test the app, or parts of it. After consent and baseline data collection, participants will be asked to download the app, answer questions about themselves and their smoking, set a quit date, used the app for up to 6 weeks and provide feedback on their experiences in an end-of-study survey/interview). Feedback will be used to make changes to the app after each group, to be tested in the next.
For those who wish to use NRT or a vape to support a quit attempt, these will be provided for up to 4 weeks. This allows time for participants to start using the app and for products to be deliver. Participants will be offered a referral to local stop smoking services if they would like further support.
Participants will be offered gift vouchers for providing feedback at the end of the study.REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/LO/0124
Date of REC Opinion
16 Apr 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion