NHS Launches Maternal Smoking Cessation Program in England

According to an announcement from the UK's National Health Service (NHS) on October 24th, starting from the end of 2022, the NHS will launch a smoking cessation program for pregnant women in England. The program will first be implemented in Anglia and will be expanded to Cambridge University Hospital in March 2023. Doctors in these two areas will receive special training to assist pregnant women in quitting smoking during their pregnancy. Currently, 30,000 babies have already been born in smoke-free environments.

Priscilla, a 36-year-old mother of three, successfully quit smoking with the support of Peterborough City Hospital during her third pregnancy.

I have many reasons for wanting to quit smoking, I hope for the best environment for my daughter to grow up in. The weekly visits have been greatly beneficial, testing my carbon monoxide levels and witnessing the progress I have made, I feel proud. Initially, I didn't think the pregnant smoking cessation program would be effective, but I have found it to be 100% successful, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to quit smoking.

The smoking cessation program offers a range of face-to-face meeting locations, including homes, clinics, and even local coffee shops. It also provides support through video contact. The team shares information about smoking-free households and the benefits of quitting in a fair manner.

Debbie Garner, a British smoking cessation treatment expert and midwife, stated:

Quitting smoking during pregnancy is one of the best things a mother can do for her child. We understand that this is extremely challenging, which is why we have created this service to help establish smoke-free households and environments. This includes offering free nicotine replacement therapy suitable for pregnancy and providing ongoing support to prevent relapse.