PREGNANT smokers in Warwickshire are being encouraged to quit with the use of vape ‘quit kits’.
The Government’s Swap to Stop programme offers smokers over the age of 18 access to support to quit with the help of vape quit kits as well as 12 weeks of behavioural support and stop smoking treatments.
And the offer has now been made available to pregnant women and expectant parents who live in Warwickshire or are registered with a Warwickshire GP.
Vapes are substantially less harmful than smoking because they do not contain tobacco, and evidence shows they can be an effective tool in supporting smoking cessation. Vaping is already estimated to contribute to an extra 50,000 to 70,000 smoking quits per year in England.
When a new baby is due, quitting smoking is one of the best things expectant parents can do.
Women who smoke during pregnancy have a much higher risk of developing various complications during pregnancy, birth and beyond.
In pregnancy, there is a higher chance of miscarriage, slow growth and premature birth. The risk of low-birth weight is 82 per cent higher than a non-smoker and the risk of still-birth may be increased by as much as 50 per cent.
In infancy, there is a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome, wheezing and colic.
In childhood, there is a higher chance that your child will develop asthma, behavioural problems (including ADHD), and some cancers.
It is also more likely that children born to smoking parents will become smokers themselves.
Linda Ward from South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust said: “If you’re expecting a baby and looking to quit smoking, you’re three times more likely to quit with the support from the Warwickshire Stop Smoking in Pregnancy service.
“Smoking while pregnant puts both you and your unborn baby at risk which may sound worrying, but the good thing is that by stopping smoking you can reduce these risks to that of a non-smoker.
“Quitting is also better for your health. If you stop smoking as soon as you can, this will reduce your chances of developing heart disease, stroke and various cancers. You are also less likely to develop a post-partum blood clot.
“We welcome the use of vapes as one of the options to aid pregnant smokers in Warwickshire to go smoke free for good.”
For more information visit https://quit4good.warwickshire.gov.uk/
