Plea to mums to keep their baby safe and not smoke
Despite signs fewer women are smoking during pregnancy in the North East, hundreds of mums-to-be could be faced with unimaginable tragedy unless they quit.
That is the warning from Fresh, who are today pleading with pregnant smokers to give their baby the best start in life by getting the support they need to go smoke-free.
Smoking is one of the biggest risks to the health of unborn babies, depriving them of vital oxygen and cutting off the supply of nutrients they need to grow properly.
It is estimated that 360 tiny lives are lost every year in the region due to smoking-related miscarriages, with between 3,000 and 5,000 lost nationally. As well as being a major cause of stillbirth and premature birth, the poisons found in tobacco smoke can also increase the risk of cot death, birth defects and lead to a child developing behavioural problems in their early years.
However, while one in five women continue to smoke during pregnancy in the region, compared to one in eight nationally, early signs are emerging that a major North East-wide initiative is helping more mums-to-be quit.
Supported by all eight of the North East’s hospital foundation trusts, Heads of Midwifery and NHS Stop Smoking Services, babyClear ensures every woman smoking during pregnancy is now given full, frank and factual information from a trained health professional about the harmful effects of carbon monoxide (CO) and given support to quit.
New figures (April to June 2014) show a small, but encouraging 10% reduction from 20% to 18% of North East women smoking at the time they give birth, compared to the same period last year. This is the largest fall the North East has had in recent years, and is higher than the national drop of 0.5%.
Lisa Surtees, Acting Director of Fresh, said: “Every parent wants to give their child the best possible start in life. For smokers who become pregnant, quitting smoking early in your pregnancy will not only protect your unborn baby from all of the horrible chemicals found in a cigarette, but will also reduce the risk of the unthinkable loss of miscarriage and stillbirth. The earlier that pregnant smokers can quit tobacco, the better it is for them and their baby, but it is never too late to stop.
“Babyclear is a national first to embed best practice in every maternity unit across a whole region. We’re really pleased to see that fewer unborn babies are being exposed to tobacco smoke and are encouraged that this more factual and honest approach is already making an impact.
“Smoking is an addiction that usually starts in childhood. Women need the facts but also to know there is excellent free support to quit smoking where they will be supported and helped, not have the finger wagged at them.
“Midwives are the best placed health professionals to deliver really important health information to pregnant women across a whole range of topics. They can fully explain how smoking is one of the biggest risks to baby, and highlight the extra care and attention a prematurely born, underdeveloped baby needs.”
Following babyClear’s launch last year, around 450 midwifery staff and 150 Stop Smoking Service advisers have received skills training to discuss the issues with women in a factual, blame-free way, as well as being provided with equipment to deliver interventions. It works in two ways:
• Women now receive carbon monoxide (CO) screening as part of the routine tests they receive during their first appointment with midwifery staff. High CO readings can be down to tobacco smoke but also faulty exhausts or poorly ventilated heating appliance. All high CO readings are routinely referred to NHS Stop Smoking Services within 24 hours.
• Midwives in most North East trusts now talk women still smoking through a more detailed, hard-hitting discussion at the 12 week dating scan using new software to show the potential harm being done when a baby is exposed to carbon monoxide. All Trusts should have this intervention in place by the end of 2014.
Dr Stephen Sturgiss, Clinical Lead for the North East Maternity Network and Clinical Director at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are talking about grief of enormous proportions when we consider 360 women are suffering miscarriages a year due to smoking.
“Women continue smoking during pregnancy because they are addicted. It is not a lifestyle choice but a clinical priority. Health professionals like GPs, nurses, obstetricians and midwives have a pivotal role to help make a difference.”
Janice McNichol, head of midwifery at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Smoking while pregnant is one of the biggest risks to the health of an unborn baby and while it is encouraging that the numbers of women smoking at this crucial time have dropped, we must all continue our work to give women the facts and the support they need to quit smoking.
“Midwives play a hugely important role in delivering key messages to improve the health of an unborn child and are best-placed to fully explain that smoking can increase the chances of losing their baby and also of giving birth prematurely to an unhealthy, more irritable infant.
“We often find that women are truly shocked after CO monitoring and had not previously fully understood the process of how poisonous chemicals reach the baby and deprive them of oxygen.
“The figures are a step in the right direction however we continue our efforts to help more women to seek the support they need to go smoke-free.”
Connie Reardon, stop smoking pregnancy specialist at Northumberland Stop Smoking Service, run by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful for Sophie for being brave enough to share such an agonizing story in the hope more expectant and future mothers and their families can understand the harm that smoking can cause to your unborn baby.
“We know quitting is not easy and we can give the support to help expectant mothers to do it. There’s now more proof than ever that smoking is dangerous – both for your unborn baby and you. And even if you’ve smoked through your pregnancy so far, it’s not too late to stop as the benefits kick in straight away.
“We are not here to judge we just want to help ladies to decide how to quit on their terms. We know you are four times more likely to quit with our support and NRT is available free of charge for pregnant smokers.”
When a smoker inhales, the 4000 chemicals in smoke, such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde, are absorbed through the lungs and move into the bloodstream. In pregnant women, the chemicals are passed to the baby via the placenta, depriving the unborn infant of vital oxygen.
A report by the Royal College of Physicians found maternal smoking causes up to 5,000 miscarriages, 300 perinatal deaths and 2,200 premature births a year nationwide. In the North East that breaks down to 360 miscarriages, 22 perinatal deaths and 160 premature births.
Claire Sullivan, Public Health Consultant in Health Improvement for Public Health England, said: “Giving children the very best start in life is one of Public Health England’s biggest priorities and it is good to see the North East leading work in this area.”
If you want to quit, you’re up to four times more likely to succeed with NHS support. See your local pharmacy or GP, or call Northumberland NHS Stop Smoking Service on 01670 813135.