NHS figures reveal how many pregnant women in your area smoke

Mothers-to-be in Corby are 21 TIMES more likely to smoke than those living in Luton, NHS figures reveal (so how many expectant mothers still light up in YOUR area?)

  • A quarter (25.1%) of all mothers-to-be smoked until they gave birth in Corby 
  • In comparison, the rate was just 1.2% among expectant mothers in Luton 
  • Charities today slammed the figures, compiled in a report by NHS Digital 

Pregnant women in certain parts of England are up to 21 times more likely to smoke than those living in other areas, shocking figures show.

A quarter (25.1 per cent) of all mothers-to-be smoked until they gave birth in the Northamptonshire town of Corby between April and June this year.

In comparison, the rate was just 1.2 per cent among expectant mothers in Luton, according to the NHS report.

Charities today slammed the figures, saying urgent action is needed to cut rates of smoking in pregnancy.  

Nationally, the NHS target is to make sure no more than six per cent of mothers-to-be smoke cigarettes during their pregnancy. Only 33 out of 207 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England met the national standard of six per cent or fewer

The numbers are recorded by local NHS boards and relate to 145,000 pregnant women during the three-month period.

Nearly 15,000 of the expectant mothers – 10.4 per cent – were known to smoke tobacco by the time they gave birth.

Nationally, the NHS target is to make sure no more than six per cent of mothers-to-be smoke cigarettes during their pregnancy.

Blackpool, which has repeatedly been named as the worst for smoking rates in pregnancy, recorded the second highest rate with 24.8 per cent.

It was followed by Hull (23.1 per cent), the Isle of Wight (20.7 per cent) and Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield (20.3 per cent).

At the other end of the scale, West London and Hammersmith and Fulham had the joint second fewest amount of mothers-to-be who smoked (1.4 per cent).

Smoking while pregnant is a leading cause of stillbirth and miscarriage, Action on Smoking and Health says, but there are still thousands of women who continue to do it

Smoking while pregnant is a leading cause of stillbirth and miscarriage, Action on Smoking and Health says, but there are still thousands of women who continue to do it

STACEY SOLOMON CAUGHT SMOKING WHILE PREGNANT IN 2012 

Stacey Solomon was caught smoking four cigarettes in two hours in 2012

Stacey Solomon was caught smoking four cigarettes in two hours in 2012

Seven months pregnant Stacey Solomon was caught smoking four cigarettes in two hours in 2012 as she stood in an alley way clutching her baby bump.

The 22-year-old reportedly claimed that although she was embarrassed at being caught out, her doctor told her that it was okay to smoke.

The former X Factor contestant and Foxy Bingo’s mum of the year was in the middle of a photo shoot in Fulham, south west London, when she slipped outside for a break and was seen puffing away on the cancer causing sticks.

She told The People newspaper: I know it doesn’t look good but I only have a few cigs a day.’

Both boroughs were followed by Central London (1.9 per cent), Wandsworth (2 per cent), and Brent (2.1 per cent), the NHS league table revealed.

Only 33 out of 207 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England met the national standard of six per cent or fewer.

Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation, said: ‘These statistics – and in particular the variation in smoking rates across England – show how far we still have to go to support pregnant women to quit this deadly addiction. 

‘The number of pregnant women smoking when they give birth is still far higher than the national target of six per cent or less, so we need urgent action to make this ambition a reality.

‘Pregnant women who smoke should always be offered stop smoking support when they go for antenatal appointments, to protect their health and that of their unborn child.

‘Cuts to public health funding means in some areas, people don’t have access to this support. 

‘This is why the government must invest more in public health and ensure everyone gets the help they need to quit.’ 

Smoking in pregnancy is dangerous and can increase the risk of premature births, miscarriages and having a stillborn child.

It is not illegal for a pregnant woman to harm her unborn child by smoking and drinking, but some think it should be.

Others say banning pregnant women from smoking would be a gross intervention by the ‘nanny state’ and a violation of the mother’s free will as well as unenforceable.

Smoking, which is known to cause heart disease and lung cancer, is responsible for around 120,000 deaths across the UK each year.

WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF SMOKING WHILE PREGNANT? 

Cigarettes can restrict the essential oxygen supply to the baby. As a result, their heart has to beat harder every time the mother smokes

Dangers include: 

Increased risk of complications in pregnancy and birth

Less likely to have a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby

Increased risk of stillbirth

Baby more likely to be born too early and have to face the additional breathing, feeding and health problems that often go with being premature.  

Baby more likely to be born underweight: babies of women who smoke are, on average about 8oz lighter than other babies. This means they’re more likely to struggle keeping warm and are more prone to infection

Increased risk of cot death

Each year, smoking during pregnancy in the UK causes an estimated:

2,200 premature births

5,000 miscarriages

300 stillbirths 

Source: NHS

SO, HOW MANY PREGNANT WOMEN SMOKE IN YOUR AREA? 
TRUST MATERNITIES KNOWN SMOKERS % KNOWN SMOKERS
NHS Corby CCG 215 54 25.1
NHS Blackpool CCG 451 112 24.8
NHS Hull CCG 832 192 23.1
NHS Isle of Wight CCG 271 56 20.7
NHS Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield CCG 642 129 20.3
NHS Rotherham CCG 600 121 20.2
NHS Mansfield and Ashfield CCG 507 98 19.4
NHS Thanet CCG 333 63 19.3
NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG 580 110 19.0
NHS Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees CCG 739 140 18.9
NHS Sunderland CCG 591 110 18.6
NHS Wakefield CCG 933 173 18.6
NHS North East Lincolnshire CCG 391 72 18.4
NHS Swale CCG 318 58 18.3
NHS Darlington CCG 244 44 18.3
NHS Nottingham City CCG 1,000 178 18.0
NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG 258 46 17.8
NHS Wyre Forest CCG 247 42 17.8
NHS Vale Royal CCG 243 42 17.6
NHS Lincolnshire West CCG 541 94 17.6
NHS Medway CCG 826 144 17.5
NHS West Norfolk CCG 337 58 17.2
NHS Lincolnshire East CCG 514 87 17.0
NHS South Kent Coast CCG 468 77 16.9
NHS Knowsley CCG 427 72 16.9
NHS St Helens CCG 465 78 16.8
NHS Stoke on Trent CCG 873 146 16.7
NHS Doncaster CCG 777 126 16.6
NHS North Cumbria CCG 682 113 16.6
NHS Wolverhampton CCG 786 130 16.5
NHS Walsall CCG 828 131 16.0
NHS Halton CCG 359 57 15.9
NHS North Lincolnshire CCG 385 60 15.6
NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG 567 88 15.5
NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale CCG 687 106 15.4
NHS Telford and Wrekin CCG 495 76 15.4
NHS Bradford Districts CCG 1,218 186 15.3
NHS South Tees CCG 743 112 15.1
NHS East Lancashire CCG 1,062 155 15.0
NHS Warwickshire North CCG 505 75 15.0
NHS South Cheshire CCG 449 66 14.9
NHS Oldham CCG 776 115 14.8
NHS Nene CCG 1,701 251 14.8
NHS Kernow CCG 1,158 169 14.7
NHS Barnsley CCG 690 101 14.6
NHS Wigan Borough CCG 823 120 14.6
NHS Ashford CCG 309 44 14.6
NHS Cannock Chase CCG 384 55 14.4
NHS South Lincolnshire CCG 351 47 14.1
NHS Tameside and Glossop CCG 687 96 14.0
NHS Nottingham West CCG 198 27 13.9
NHS North Durham CCG 500 69 13.9
NHS Calderdale CCG 487 67 13.9
NHS Canterbury and Coastal CCG 428 58 13.8
NHS Fylde and Wyre CCG 291 40 13.8
NHS Hastings and Rother CCG 456 62 13.6
NHS Newark and Sherwood CCG 259 35 13.5
NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG 1,250 168 13.5
NHS Northumberland CCG 537 72 13.4
NHS Southampton CCG 723 95 13.3
NHS South Tyneside CCG 346 45 13.2
NHS Derby and Derbyshire CCG 2,411 317 13.2
NHS South West Lincolnshire CCG 264 34 13.1
NHS Bassetlaw CCG 383 49 13.0
NHS Bolton CCG 860 111 12.9
NHS Blackburn with Darwen CCG 520 66 12.9
NHS West Lancashire CCG 218 28 12.8
NHS Leeds CCG 2,248 283 12.8
NHS Greater Huddersfield CCG 515 65 12.7
NHS Wirral CCG 779 92 12.4
NHS Devon CCG 2,526 303 12.4
NHS South Sefton CCG 405 50 12.3
NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG 1,788 208 12.2
NHS Norwich CCG 510 61 12.0
NHS Portsmouth CCG 581 68 12.0
NHS Stafford and Surrounds CCG 338 40 11.9
NHS Salford CCG 867 102 11.8
NHS Greater Preston CCG 564 66 11.7
NHS Swindon CCG 661 77 11.6
NHS North Staffordshire CCG 450 52 11.6
NHS Dudley CCG 817 93 11.6
NHS North East Essex CCG 786 91 11.6
NHS Nottingham North and East CCG 374 43 11.6
NHS Herefordshire CCG 427 47 11.5
NHS Gloucestershire CCG 1,496 172 11.5
NHS Somerset CCG 1,253 143 11.4
NHS South Eastern Hampshire CCG 471 53 11.3
NHS Warrington CCG 494 55 11.3
NHS Liverpool CCG 1,379 156 11.3
NHS South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula CCG 477 48 11.3
NHS West Cheshire CCG 560 63 11.3
NHS North Kirklees CCG 565 63 11.3
NHS Sheffield CCG 1,374 154 11.2
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG 2,344 249 11.1
NHS West Kent CCG 1,195 133 11.1
NHS East Surrey CCG 371 41 11.1
NHS Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CCG 796 88 11.1
NHS South Norfolk CCG 509 56 11.0
NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG 399 41 11.0
NHS Shropshire CCG 586 64 11.0
NHS Wiltshire CCG 1,049 113 10.8
NHS West Essex CCG 839 86 10.8
NHS Fareham and Gosport CCG 427 44 10.7
NHS Dorset CCG 1,570 164 10.5
NHS Coventry and Rugby CCG 1,382 139 10.4
NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG 357 37 10.4
NHS Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford CCG 387 39 10.2
NHS West Leicestershire CCG 601 61 10.1
NHS Leicester City CCG 1,191 120 10.1
NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG 3,965 314 10.0
NHS Chorley and South Ribble CCG 453 45 9.9
NHS Thurrock CCG 499 49 9.8
NHS South Worcestershire CCG 719 67 9.6
NHS Vale of York CCG 690 66 9.6
NHS Milton Keynes CCG 1,785 142 9.6
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG 2,550 243 9.5
NHS Coastal West Sussex CCG 1,039 98 9.5
NHS Manchester CCG 1,846 174 9.4
NHS West Hampshire CCG 1,274 118 9.3
NHS East Staffordshire CCG 336 31 9.2
NHS North Norfolk CCG 307 28 9.2
NHS Basildon and Brentwood CCG 627 57 9.1
NHS North Tyneside CCG 518 47 9.1
NHS Bradford City CCG 368 33 9.0
NHS Morecambe Bay CCG 703 60 9.0
NHS Bedfordshire CCG 1,334 113 8.8
NHS East and North Hertfordshire CCG 1,425 124 8.8
NHS West Suffolk CCG 538 44 8.7
NHS Stockport CCG 774 66 8.5
NHS Crawley CCG 379 32 8.5
NHS Barking and Dagenham CCG 811 67 8.3
NHS North East Hampshire and Farnham CCG 563 46 8.2
NHS Bexley CCG 700 56 8.2
NHS Harrogate and Rural District CCG 298 24 8.1
NHS Southend CCG 511 40 8.1
NHS North Hampshire CCG 562 45 8.0
NHS Bath and North East Somerset CCG 386 30 7.8
NHS Haringey CCG 798 61 7.7
NHS Buckinghamshire CCG 1,267 97 7.7
NHS Bury CCG 512 39 7.6
NHS South Warwickshire CCG 617 45 7.4
NHS East Leicestershire and Rutland CCG 593 44 7.4
NHS Surrey Downs CCG 631 45 7.4
NHS Greenwich CCG 987 68 7.1
NHS High Weald Lewes Havens CCG 302 21 7.1
NHS Brighton and Hove CCG 577 40 7.0
NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG 401 27 6.9
NHS Islington CCG 318 22 6.9
NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG 897 59 6.8
NHS Oxfordshire CCG 1,554 105 6.8
NHS Berkshire West CCG 1,391 94 6.8
NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby CCG 253 17 6.7
NHS Mid Essex CCG 968 58 6.3
NHS Croydon CCG 1,180 72 6.2
NHS Surrey Heath CCG 212 13 6.1
NHS Havering CCG 804 49 6.1
NHS North West Surrey CCG 995 60 6.1
NHS Hillingdon CCG 857 52 6.1
NHS Southport and Formby CCG 221 13 5.9
NHS East Berkshire CCG 1,222 72 5.9
NHS Enfield CCG 996 57 5.9
NHS Herts Valleys CCG 1,468 83 5.7
NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG 426 24 5.6
NHS Sutton CCG 613 34 5.6
NHS Rushcliffe CCG 272 15 5.6
NHS Waltham Forest CCG 1,020 54 5.3
NHS Bromley CCG 891 44 5.2
NHS Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG 510 25 5.1
NHS Hounslow CCG 932 46 5.1
NHS Trafford CCG 630 32 5.1
NHS Newham CCG 1,388 69 5.0
NHS Lewisham CCG 1,054 42 4.2
NHS Merton CCG 598 25 4.2
NHS Tower Hamlets CCG 1,037 42 4.1
NHS Kingston CCG 530 21 4.0
NHS Barnet CCG 1,085 41 3.9
NHS Southwark CCG 982 35 3.8
NHS Harrow CCG 831 30 3.6
NHS City and Hackney CCG 939 32 3.5
NHS Lambeth CCG 1,121 37 3.5
NHS Redbridge CCG 1,025 33 3.2
NHS Guildford and Waverley CCG 465 15 3.2
NHS Richmond CCG 513 15 3.0
NHS Camden CCG 254 7 2.8
NHS Ealing CCG 1,239 34 2.8
NHS Brent CCG 1,115 23 2.1
NHS Wandsworth CCG 1,153 23 2.0
NHS Central London (Westminster) CCG 325 6 1.9
NHS Hammersmith and Fulham CCG 516 7 1.4
NHS West London CCG 517 7 1.4
NHS Luton CCG 807 10 1.2



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