Nottinghamshire has a higher than national average number of pregnant smokers. It comes after data from the NHS revealed that women who gave birth in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Heath and Care facilities are some of the most likely to be smokers in the East Midlands.
The data shows that from April 2021 to March 2022 there were 1,202 women across Nottinghamshire who were known to be smokers at the time of delivery. It means that 13% of the 9,380 births in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire were from women smokers.
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire recorded the highest number of known pregnant smokers in the East Midlands as well as being higher than the national average percentage wise. Across England, 9.1% of women who gave birth in that time period were known smokers.
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Joined Up Care Derbyshire saw the second highest number in our region with 1,138 known pregnant smokers. Lincolnshire is the place with the highest percentage of women smoking at time of delivery with 15% of all births in the area being from a smoker. They recorded 931 out of their 6,338 births as being by women known to be smokers at time of delivery.
Northamptonshire had 858 and the lowest rate in the East Midlands was in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland where 832 women were known smokers at the time of delivery. They were also the only place in our region to match the national percentage, all others were higher than the national average.
A spokesperson for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said “Our Maternity Service works in partnership with our Stop Smoking Services to give support and advice to families, to help them stop smoking and to reduce smoking during pregnancy. Every year we help hundreds of families achieve this with the aim of preventing the damage that smoking causes.”
The NUH Trust said that as a percentage, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are one of the areas in the region with a high ‘Smoking at time of delivery’ rate, however this is lower than Lincolnshire (13% compared to 15%).
There is a no smoking policy in place at all Nottingham University Hospital sites for patients, visitors and staff. In 2019, the government proposed that England should be 'smoke free' by 2030 and the NHS have an ambition for the reduction of Smoking in pregnancy in its long term plan.
Hazel Cheeseman, Deputy Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health said: "Smoking during pregnancy is a leading cause of stillbirth, miscarriage and birth defects. Growing up in a house with smokers also puts children at greater risk of smoking themselves.
"Pregnant smokers should get support and medication to help them quit and this support is being stepped up through a new NHS programme.
"While this is welcome smoking rates remain far higher than Government target of 6%. Government must implement the recommendations of a recent independent review of smoking, including providing financial incentives to help women to stop smoking in pregnancy."
The NHS Start for Life scheme helps advise women to give up smoking during pregnancy. Their online advise said: "It's hard to imagine when you can't see your baby, but everything you breathe in passes through to your baby (including secondhand smoke). Each cigarette contains more than 4,000 chemicals.
"When you smoke, carbon monoxide and other harmful toxins travel from your lungs, into your bloodstream, through your placenta and into your baby's body. When this happens, your baby struggles for oxygen. When your baby can't get enough oxygen, this affects their development.
"Whether you're pregnant or you've just found out you're expecting, the sooner you quit, the better. Your local stop smoking service offers free, one-to-one advice, support and encouragement to help you stop smoking. You can also talk to your GP or midwife – they can talk you through the best treatments available."
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