The NHS has announced plans to ask all pregnant women to take a smoking test in an effort to reduce the number of stillbirths.
As part of a new drive to encourage thousands of women to give up smoking, mothers-to-be will be required to take a carbon monoxide test in hospital to determine whether they, or their partner, smoke.
Despite being warned about the dangers of smoking, NHS statistics reveal that more than one in 10 pregnant women – 65,000 a year in England alone – are tobacco smokers at the time of delivery, putting them at greater risk of suffering stillbirth.
According to the NHS, when a pregnant woman smokes, carbon monoxide and other harmful toxins travel from their lungs into the bloodstream, through the placenta and into the baby’s body.
“When this happens, your baby struggles for oxygen. When your baby can’t get enough oxygen, this affects their development,” the NHS states.
Currently, expectant mothers are asked if they smoke during appointments, leaving them able to choose whether or not to answer truthfully.
But from July, doctors, midwives and nurses will routinely screen all pregnant women at 12 and 36 weeks.
If they are found to be a smoker, the women will be advised on how to give up and be offered specialist help to quit within 24 hours. These women will then be retested at every subsequent appointment.
Due to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, the tests will also be able to detect if the woman’s partner smokes and whether they live in a smoke-free home.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, told The Sunday Times: “The number of women smoking in pregnancy is at a record low, but too many women still suffer the tragedy of stillbirth as a result of smoking.
“Today’s plans are about our continuing commitment to do everything in our power to address this, by supporting mums-to-be to quit, in pregnancy and for good.”
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “Stillbirth is heartbreaking, which is why the NHS, through the skill and professionalism of our midwives, nurses and doctors, is taking action to ensure an even greater number of parents and babies experience a healthy birth.”
According to Tommy’s, the largest UK charity funding research to prevent stillbirth, nine babies are stillborn every day.
The organisation says that the UK’s stillbirth rate is currently 24 out of 49 high-income countries and that the risk of stillbirth is 52 per cent higher in women who smoke 10 cigarettes a day.
If you would like more information about stopping smoking you can talk to your GP, midwife or pharmacist.
Alternatively, you can visit your local stop smoking service for free, confidential, one-to-one support.
