Guidance Aims To Protect Thousands Of Unborn Babies And Small Children From Tobacco Harm

All pregnant women should be encouraged to have their carbon monoxide levels tested to determine whether they smoke, thereby ensuring that pregnant smokers receive appropriate support to quit for the good of their unborn baby. This change to current clinical practice is one of a number of recommendations in new guidance published yesterday (23 June) by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), to help women and their families give up smoking during and after pregnancy.

Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, still-birth and sudden unexpected death in infancy[1]. Exposure to smoke in the womb is also associated with psychological problems in childhood such as attention and hyperactivity problems[2]. Meanwhile, children of parents who smoke tend to suffer from more respiratory problems like asthma or bronchitis and have problems of the ear, nose and throat, compared to children in non-smoking households. Nearly half of all children in the UK are exposed to tobacco smoke at home[3].

It is thought to cost the NHS between £20 million and £87.5 million each year to treat mothers and small infants under 12 months old with problems caused by smoking in pregnancy[4].