Your Smoke-Free Pregnancy
When you smoke during pregnancy, your baby breathes in the same harmful chemicals as you. Even if someone else is smoking around you, secondhand smoke can still affect both you and your baby.
Before your baby is born
Tobacco smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals, including carbon monoxide (a gas that reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood). This means your baby gets less oxygen too, which can make it harder for them to grow and develop properly.
That’s why your midwife will check your carbon monoxide levels during your pregnancy; it helps us make sure you and your baby are getting the oxygen you need.
Stopping smoking is one of the best ways to protect your baby’s health, and we’re here to help you do it. Our advisors can support you and your partner to go smoke-free, so your baby has the best possible start in life.
What can smoking during pregnancy do?
When someone smokes while pregnant, it can:
damage major organs in the body
increase the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth
pass harmful chemicals to the baby through the placenta
cause serious harm to the baby, such as low birth weight or premature birth
increase the risk of health problems like asthma, glue ear, or meningitis
After your baby is born
It can be tempting to start smoking again once your baby is here — but staying smoke-free is still really important for both of you.
Why a Smoke-Free home matters
A home without smoke is the safest place for you and your baby — during pregnancy and after birth. Here’s why:
there’s no safe level of secondhand smoke
opening windows doesn’t fully protect against smoke
smoke stays in the air and on surfaces, even if you can’t see it
smoke-free homes make it less likely you’ll go back to smoking
Every year, secondhand smoke in the home causes:
22,000 new cases of asthma in children
9,500 hospital admissions
200 cases of bacterial meningitis
40 sudden unexpected deaths in infancy
Babies in smoke-free homes are more likely to have:
fewer coughs, colds, and ear infections
better development and breathing
a lower risk of asthma
a lower risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
We’re here to support you
Free stop smoking support is available for you and your family. You can speak to your midwife or contact us directly.
We can also offer Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), such as patches or gum, which is much safer than smoking during pregnancy - and it can really help you quit for good.
With the right support, you’re much more likely to stay smoke-free; for you, your baby, and your whole family.
Let’s give every baby the best possible start, and a smoke-free beginning.