One in 10 pregnant women smoking at delivery time

Health bosses said engagement with a service to help stop smoking was low in 2024

More than 10% of pregnant women in Guernsey said they were smoking at the time of delivery, new data says.

Guernsey's Quitline and Public Health said last year, when 10.4% admitted smoking while pregnant, engagement with the smoking cessation service was "low, with women frequently declining appointments or not attending accepted appointments".

The services added that further work was under way "to explore how we can improve the engagement of expectant women with services to help them quit smoking".

Meanwhile, the UK reported a record low of 6.1% in the same year.

The bailiwick levels were also up by 2.7% from the year before.

Health bosses said pregnant women who were identified as smoking at the time of booking a maternity appointment or subsequent antenatal appointments were referred to the Quitline service on an opt-out basis.

Follow-up appointments are then offered weekly for at least 12 weeks.

"The Quitline nurses understand that stopping smoking can feel daunting. However, it is absolutely achievable... with the friendly professional support and, where appropriate, free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)," the service said.

There is also the option to self-refer.

Public Health warned: "Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to both the mother and baby, and remains a significant risk factor for serious health complications.

"The risks of smoking in pregnancy include a greater risk of miscarriage, pre-term delivery, a low birthweight baby, stillbirth or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)".