smoking and pregnancy
Smoking while pregnant puts both mother and baby at risk of significant harm to their health.
Position Statement
We need to ensure that pregnant women who smoke have specific cessation and prevention programmes tailored to their needs, have appropriate referral interventions, midwives trained in tobacco cessation, and access to effective and equitable cessation services and products to support them in quitting for the benefit of their health and that of their child.
Whilst Public Health Wales is trialling a number of initiatives to engage more effectively with pregnant smokers, it remains the case that there is currently a lack of systematic service delivery to support pregnant smokers to quit right across Wales.
Research
Every time a pregnant woman smokes a cigarette, she inhales carbon monoxide (CO) which reduces the amount of oxygen to the placenta and causes harm to the baby1.
Smoking causes both short-term and long-term problems, from premature delivery to increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or sudden infant death2.
| Short-Term Problems | Long-term problems |
|---|---|
| Pre-term birth | Learning difficulties eg. Autism |
| Pre mature membrane rupture | Hyperactivity |
| Placenta previa | Ear, nose and throat problems |
| Placental abruption | Obesity |
| Small for gestational age | Diabetes |
| Still birth | Ectopic Pregnancy |
| Sudden Infant Death Syndrome |
Our Smokefree Baby & Me campaign page has lots of support and information for mums-to-be.
Latest Stats
15% of pregnant women were recorded as being a smoker at their initial assessment in 2021.
(16%) around one in six mothers, were recorded as being smokers at the time of birth in 2018.
12% of pregnant women were recorded as being smokers at the time they gave birth in 2021.
| Health Board | % Who smoke at Initial Assessment |
| All Wales | 14.8% |
| Betsi Cadwaladr | 17.9% |
| Powys | 13.4% |
| Hywel Dda | 13.4% |
| Swansea Bay | 14.1% |
| Cwm Taf Morgannwg | 18.3% |
| Anuerin Bevan | 15.6% |
| Cardiff & Vale | 9.3% |
Although women are more likely to attempt to quit smoking when pregnant3, survey’s show that 12% of pregnant women in Wales smoke throughout their pregnancy.4
Second-hand smoke exposure: ante and post natal
Some women may be exposed to second-hand smoke via a friend or a family member. This can cause significant health risks once a child is born including respiratory problems such as asthma, birth defects such as cleft lip and hearing problems such as glue ear.
Second-hand smoke in an enclosed environment such as the home or a car is particularly damaging to younger children who cannot escape from the smoky environment.
The Models of Access to Maternal Smoking cessation Support (MAMSS) project, which was conducted in Wales, aimed to evaluate how well smoking cessation programs were being delivered to pregnant women. The scheme aimed to increase the proportion of pregnant women who engage with stop smoking services5.
Further Reading
- 2021 stats, found here and here.
- NICE Guidance: Quitting smoking in pregnancy and following childbirth
- Study: Financial incentives for smoking cessation in pregnancy: Randomised controlled trial, Tappin et al 2015
1Carbon monoxide, smoking and your baby
2NHS – Pregnancy and your baby
3Smoking cessation during pregnancy – A clinician’s guide to help pregnant women quit smoking. American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. 2011
4Tobacco and Health in Wales – Public Health Wales NHS Trust / Welsh Government. June 2012
5MAMSS: Models for Access to Maternal Smoking cessation Support
