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Smoke free Pregnancy v2

Version 2  |  Updated 10th March 2026
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Smoke Free Pregnancy

Patient Information

Maternity Services

  • Author ID:           JB
  • Leaflet Ref:         Mat 003
  • Version:              2 
  • Leaflet title:         Smoke free Pregnancy
  • Last review:        October 2022
  • Expiry Date:        October 2024
 


 

Smoking in pregnancy poses significant health risks to both mother and baby

Smoking in pregnancy is specifically associated with a significantly increased risk of:

 

  • Miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
  • Stillbirth.
  • Premature birth.
  • Low birth weight (due to baby not getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs to grow and be healthier).
  • Neonatal admissions.
  • Neonatal death.
  • Birth defects.
  • Babies born to mothers who smoke are twice as likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

 

Myth Busting

Nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, lozenges and gum are completely safe to use in pregnancy and we can provide them for you.

Benefits of Quitting

Stopping smoking at any stage of pregnancy will have significant benefits to both mother and baby's health.  Research has shown that if a woman quits by 15 weeks of pregnancy the risk of premature birth and having a small baby is the same as that of a woman who has never smoked.

What you can do…

The most effective way to quit for pregnant smokers is with behavioural support, and many women can benefit from this combined with the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

 

The WWL Maternity Smokefree Pregnancy team can support you to quit and provide you with the information and tools you need, as well as ongoing support to stay smoke-free.

 

Our aim is to help you to protect the health of you and your baby.

 

Please contact The WWL Maternity Smoke Free Pregnancy Midwife on Telephone: 07786 501 322

 

Useful Links and Acknowledgements

Health Matters: stopping smoking-what works? (2019, December 17) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-stopping-smoking-what-works/health-matters-stopping-smoking-what-works 

 

Public Health England. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-stopping-smoking-what-works/health-matters-stopping-smoking-what-works 

 

All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0

Last modified 10th March 2026 13:26:13 pm