The number of women in the Midlands known to be smokers at time of giving birth has fallen leading to nearly 2,000 more smokefree babies being born in the region last year.  

Recent statistics on women’s smoking status at time of delivery  shows that in the Midlands ICB and region, 6.9% of women were known to be smokers when they delivered their baby in 2024/25 – down from 8.7% in 2023/24.  

This month marks Stoptober, a public health campaign that runs throughout October, empowering people to quit smoking.   

In the Midlands, pregnant women who smoke are offered help to quit through every NHS maternity service in the region. All 21 maternity services across the region offers stop smoking advice and support.  

Smoking whilst pregnant is extremely dangerous as inhaling carbon monoxide, a harmful chemical present in cigarette smoke, reduces the amount of oxygen getting to the baby in the womb and increases the chance of miscarriage, stillbirth and sudden infant death.  

University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust tobacco dependency team was established in 2023 and since has seen a huge reduction in women smoking at the time of delivery, down from 12% to around 5%.   

The in-house team at Royal Stoke Hospital work closely with the local authority tobacco dependency teams to provide an in-reach service to women and families receiving maternity care at UHNM.  

Dr Angela Hancock, Consultant Midwife (Public Health) at UHNM, said: “We know that smoking in pregnancy increases the risks of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth and it can have long term effects on a child’s health. Supporting parents to be smokefree is one of the most important things we can do to protect both mother and baby and give families the healthiest possible future and babies the very best start in life.”  

Gaynor Armstrong, Regional Chief Midwifery Officer for NHS England Midlands, said:“It’s really encouraging to see more babies being born to mothers who are smokefree across the Midlands. Not smoking while pregnant helps ensure a safer birth by decreasing risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and sudden infant death and helps our excellent perinatal teams to provide the best care possible.”   

Dr Sanjay Agrawal, Prevention Clinical Director, NHS England Midlands, said: “It is never too late to quit smoking and we’ve helped thousands of people to quit smoking in the region in the past year. In fact the Midlands offers tobacco dependency programmes in every hospital in the Midlands, and we know that these services are life-saving.  

“If you smoke, I urge to begin your quitting journey now by speaking to your GP, midwife or going online to learn more about services in your area to help you quit.”  

Several trusts in West Midlands are now smokefree. Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been smokefree since end of July 2025 and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has been smokefree since 1 September 2025 across all their sites.