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.

In 2021, 12% of pregnant women in Wales were recorded as smokers at birth.

Carbon monoxide (CO) reduces the amount of oxygen to the placenta and causes harm to the baby

In 2021, approximately 3,456 babies were born to mothers who were recorded as smokers at birth.

Smoking causes both short-term and long-term problems

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.

ckf23wdweae82id
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.

 

Source: Maternity and birth statistics, Wales 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%
img_2373lq

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.