Smoking in pregnancy at lowest level in UK history

The rate of smoking during pregnancy in England is at its lowest since records began, official statistics show.

About 7.4% of expectant mothers smoked when their pregnancy ended between April 2023 and April 2024. That’s a drop of 1.4% — or about 6,000 women — compared with the previous year.

Smoking rates have been falling for decades across England, but it is still a major public health issue, with just over 11.2% of adult women and just under 15% of men still smoking, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Smoking causes a range of devastating diseases, including cancer, heart disease, lung disease and stroke. It is thought to cause around three in 20 cancer cases and six in 20 cancer deaths in the UK, according to the UK campaign group Action on Smoking and Health.

In pregnant women, smoking can also have a negative effect on the developing fetus.

Cigarette smokers breathe in carbon monoxide, which can limit the amount of oxygen that reaches the fetus in the womb. This increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome.

Helping pregnant women quit is a key focus for health officials in England, and it is more common among younger and disadvantaged women.

All pregnant women who smoke are now entitled to free nicotine replacement therapy and carbon monoxide exposure testing.

The vast majority of perinatal care is provided by the national public health system, the National Health Service. Over 90% of NHS perinatal providers now offer dedicated smoking cessation services to their patients.

“We are delighted that smoking rates in pregnancy have reached an all-time low. This is largely down to our excellent midwifery teams and the specialist support we provide to expectant mothers through our maternity services,” Kate Brintworth, NHS England’s chief midwife, said in a statement.

“We want to help even more pregnant women quit and will continue to provide dedicated support to everyone who uses our maternity services,” she added.

Smoking rates are a key target for the UK government, with the habit thought to cost England around $65bn (£50bn) a year in lost productivity and health and social care costs.

It is also a factor in inequalities in access to healthcare, accounting for around half the difference in life expectancy between the most and least advantaged Britons.

In 2019, lawmakers announced a plan to create a “smoke-free England” by 2030. This target would be achieved if fewer than five per cent of adults smoked.

The target has already come under heavy scrutiny, with an independent review in 2022 finding the government is likely to miss the target by seven years. In the poorest parts of the country, it will not be met until 2044.

Lawmakers hope a landmark tobacco sales bill will increase the chances of achieving smoke-free goals.

The law, originally announced by the country’s previous conservative government, would make it illegal to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to people born on or after September 1, 2009.

Shortly after the July general election, the new Labour government announced it would re-introduce the bill, which still has to pass through the Houses of Parliament.