Pregnant smoking rates in Telford and Wrekin among highest in England

Telford and Wrekin ranked 6th in England, with the figures showing that out of 2099 maternities between April 2013 and March 2014 the number of women smoking at the time of delivery was 471, representing 22.4% of maternities.

In the 12 months to March 2014 in England there was wide regional variation in women who smoked during pregnancy, with the highest prevalence in the Durham, Darlington and Tees Area Team and the lowest prevalence in the London Area Team.

At CCG level NHS Blackpool had the highest prevalence where more than one in four mothers smoked during pregnancy 27.5% and both NHS Central London (Westminster) and NHS Richmond had the lowest prevalence just 1.9%.

The good news though is that the overall figure across England of mothers smoking whilst pregnant is now the lowest on record.

The figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show the prevalence of women giving birth who classed themselves as smokers at the time was 12 per cent, the lowest it has been in eight years of data collection.

The report shows the prevalence of women who classed themselves as smokers whilst pregnant fell to 12.0 per cent from 12.7 per cent in the previous year, and this continues the steady decline from 2006-07 when this was 15.1%.

Despite a continuous decline in the prevalence of pregnant smokers, the published national ambition to reduce rates of smoking throughout pregnancy to 11 per cent or less by the end of 2015 has not yet been reached, however over one third of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are currently achieving this.

HSCIC Chair Kingsley Manning said: "It is encouraging to see that since 2006-07 the number of pregnant women who smoked during pregnancy has declined. However, there is still a little way to go to achieve the national ambition.

"Today's figures highlight there is a still work to be done and it is fundamental that mothers-to-be are aware of the damaging effects smoking can have on their baby."

The Top Ten areas of England with the Highest smoking rates amongst pregnant women.

1. Blackpool 27.5%
2. South Tyneside 25%
3. South Tees 23.9%
4. Mansfield and Ashfield 23.5%
5. Barnsley 23%
6. Telford & Wrekin 22.4%
7. Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield 22.3%
8. Doncaster 22.1%
9. North East Lincolnshire 22%
10. Lincolnshire East 21.9%