STOPPING smoking is the single most important action a pregnant mother can take to protect the health of her unborn child. When a pregnant woman smokes, her unborn baby shares more than 4,000 chemicals from the smoke she breathes. Smoking during pregnancy causes greater risks of miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight – even stillbirth.

Babies born to women who smoke throughout pregnancy are most likely to die during the first four weeks of life. Every cigarette smoked by a pregnant woman restricts the essential oxygen supply to her baby, so that its tiny heart has to beat harder every time its mother smokes.

But stopping smoking will benefit the baby immediately. After just two days of being smoke-free, the nicotine leaves the body.

In Manchester, more and more women are realising the dangerous impact smoking has on their unborn child. Although 15 per cent of pregnant women in the city still smoke, the figure has dropped by eight per cent over the last four years.

"The figure is just one per cent above the national average, and four per cent below the North West average," says Ali Reid, Senior Public Health Development Advisor with NHS Manchester, and member of the North West Smoke-Free Pregnancy Advisory Group. "We are doing really, really well. It is a success story."

Ali says the huge drop is down to a concerted effort to reach mothers in their communities.

"We have had a massive training programme for staff in children's centres, and they can now answer questions and talk to parents about smoke-free homes and stopping smoking. And when parents go for their very first antenatal appointment, the midwife will talk to them about the benefits of a smoke-free pregnancy."

But there is still work to be done. There are around 1,200 pregnant women in Manchester who still smoke, the majority of whom are in their early twenties. Almost half of prospective mums aged under 20 smoke.

"Most women tend to give birth between the ages of 20 to 34," Ali says. "That is also when they are most likely smoke, or have friends and family who are smokers.

"Pregnancy can be a stressful time. If your response to stress is to light up, then you may need extra support to stop. Women are very likely to stop as soon as they find out they are pregnant, but if they are struggling, there is lots of help."

In addition to the help offered at Sure Start and children's centres, most city centre pharmacies now offer stop smoking support. Women can also refer themselves by calling NHS Manchester's Specialist Stop Smoking Service, where they will be offered a one-to-one appointment to help them stop.

Nicotine replacement lozenges, inhalers, micro tabs and patches cause no harm to unborn babies. Pregnant women receive their first six weeks' supply for free, and GPs can prescribe further free supplies. In addition, partners and family members are entitled to a fortnight of free nicotine replacement therapy.

Ali says: "A lot of women know smoking is unhealthy for the baby, and may find that difficult and stressful. But people generally make good health decisions by feeling good about themselves.

"We ask people what would be good for them about being smoke-free and about stopping smoking, rather than making people feel guilty about it."

is also very important that the partners of pregnant women – and others in the household who smoke - try to stop, or keep their smoke away from the expectant mother.

Exposing unborn babies to secondhand smoke and its toxic cocktail of poisonous gases increases the risk of low birth weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - commonly known as cot death. It is also far more difficult for pregnant women to quit smoking or stay smoke-free if her partner smokes.

And, Ali adds, it is crucial that pregnant women who stop smoking stay off the cigarettes when they become mothers.

"We would not advocate just stopping during pregnancy," she says. "To really enjoy the health benefits, women need to stop completely. We would like them to stay smoke-free for themselves as well as for their baby. It is very important for families to stay smoke-free."

INFO BOX

• The NHS’s free Smokefree Pregnancy Support DVD is available by visiting http://smokefree.nhs.uk/smoking-and-pregnancy/
• Call the NHS Manchester Stop Smoking Service on 0161 205 5998. To find out more information, text QUIT, along with your name and postcode, to 81066.