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Pregnancy and smoking

What you need to know

Protect your baby’s healthy growth and development and reduce the likelihood of stillbirth, complications during labour, birth defects and cot death).

Stopping smoking is one of the best things a woman and her partner can do to protect the health of their baby through pregnancy and beyond.

Have a safer quicker return home after birth. Stopping smoking brings immediate health benefits particularly to your heart and lungs, so you will be less likely to need the NHS for complications in your pregnancy or for your child as she develops.

“Though the best thing for mother and baby is that she stops smoking now, completely and forever, we recognise that this can be difficult to do straight away. If this is the case, then using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), or switching to e-cigarettes can play a significant role in reducing harm to both mother and baby.”

- Sarah Wise, Consultant Midwife, Diana Princess of Wales Hospital

“You can share what worked for you to help others who want to quit”

- Ruth Prentice, lay chair North & North East Lincolnshire Maternity Voices Partnership

Why now is the time to stop smoking

Reduce the harm to your baby. The priority is to be smokefree, if vaping helps you to manage nicotine withdrawal and stay smokefree, then you should continue as it is much less harmful to you and your baby than continuing to smoke.

Reduce depression, anxiety and stress. In the longer-term quitting is linked lower anxiety and stress, and an improved positive mood and quality of life, when compared with continuing to smoke.

“We will always identify your needs, discuss the best way to begin the quit process, and offer regular encouragement, tips, and support up to the time the baby is born. The same expert support is offered to the pregnant woman's partner and other people she lives with.”

- Sarah Allen, Wellbeing Worker, North East Lincolnshire Wellbeing Service

Support from family, friends, and health professionals can make a big difference for people who are quitting smoking. Read about the experiences of others who have become smokefree and how they did it.

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