The latest figures from NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire show that fewer women are smokers when they have a baby.

Since April 2022, the number of women who smoke when their baby is born has fallen in Herefordshire and Worcestershire from 10.8 per cent to 8.8 per cent, which is just below the England average of 8.9 per cent. This is a great improvement over previous years.

This means a healthier start for more babies being born in the two counties.

Karen May, cabinet member with Responsibility for Health and Well-Being at Worcestershire County Council, said, "These figures are really encouraging because reducing smoking can make a big difference to the health of mums and their babies. However, we can’t be complacent and must work to ensure this reduction continues.

“The County Council’s Public Health team here have been working hard with our NHS colleagues to achieve this and I am really positive about what we can do in the future."

In Worcestershire, the work has included a unique Stop Smoking in Pregnancy Service within Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. A team of dedicated stop-smoking advisors are available to support pregnant women and families in their homes with one-to-one behavioural support and free nicotine replacement therapy.

Two new public health midwives have been employed to focus on improving health and wellbeing in pregnancy, including working within maternity to decrease smoking rates. There has been a focus on supporting midwives to have routine conversations about smoking, taking carbon monoxide readings and referring women and families to the Stop Smoking Service.

The Stop Smoking Service and two new public health midwife posts have all been funded by Public Health in Worcestershire.

Linda Haynes, a public health specialist midwife, said, "I am extremely proud of our team and the support we give people to stop smoking which is centred around the unique needs of each individual.

“We help people with a 12-week stop smoking plan, which is agreed on a one-to-one basis, and can be adjusted and tailored for everyone meaning people have a genuine choice during discussions with the stop smoking advisors.”

A pregnant lady who recently benefitted from the support the service offers said, “I have smoked since I was 14 years old and was smoking 10-15 roll ups a day at the start of pregnancy.

“I had tried quitting in the past with support from a practice nurse and using refillable vapes but was unable to quit.

“I could tell straight away that this was going to be a different support service from what I had experienced in the past. I didn’t feel any pressure to quit, I felt the appointment was personal, and I wasn’t just a number in a line of people to be seen.

“It was nice knowing that I could contact my maternity stop smoking advisor if I felt I was having any wobbles.

“Before pregnancy, I had high blood pressure, but since quitting smoking my blood pressure is now normal.

“I would highly recommend any smoking pregnant woman takes up the maternity stop smoking support, I am so grateful to my advisor who I can only describe as amazing.”

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