Smoking

By quitting smoking when you’re pregnant, you’re taking care of yourself and your baby

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals, and many are toxic. They can pass through the placenta to the baby and affect his or her development

A small baby who doesn’t grow healthily has an increased chance of being stillborn. Smoking also increases the likelihood of a baby being born prematurely, and that he or she will have health and development problems in childhood and later life

If you smoke

  • The best thing you can do is stop. Stopping at any time in pregnancy will help, though the sooner the better
  • Lots of support is available to help women stop smoking in pregnancy – your midwife, GP or pharmacist can advise you, and there will be a ‘stop smoking’ programme you can join
  • Second-hand (or passive) smoke is also dangerous, so try to keep away from smoky places and smokers; ask any smokers in the family to support you and your baby by smoking outside and not near you
  • You can use nicotine replacement therapy such as patches and gum to help you quit

  • Vaping isn't completely risk free, but if you find it helps you stop smoking and stay smokefree it's much safer for you and your baby than continuing to smoke. Sands, Tommy's, and the Royal College of Midwives have produced this helpful FAQs document to answer some of your questions about vaping during pregnancy. Click on the image below to read more.


These short films about smoking in pregnancy were produced for Our Chance, a campaign by the charities Sands and Best Beginnings to raise awareness of health issues in pregnancy
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