Website of the UK government

Advantages to giving up

Smoking while pregnant not only damages your own health, but can also harm your baby. It has been linked to a variety of health problems including premature birth, low birth weight, cot death, miscarriage, and breathing problems/wheezing in the first six months of life.

If you stop smoking during pregnancy, you will have less morning sickness and fewer complications.

If you're trying to give up smoking, also encourage those around you to do the same. Second hand smoke contains poisonous gases, tar and thousands of toxic chemicals which are harmful to you and your baby's health. The important role of partners, linked below, provides information on how partners can also help by giving up smoking.

• go smokefree website Opens new window
• The important role of partners Opens new window
• Protecting children from secondhand smoke Opens new window
• Smoking and pregnancy - NHS website Opens new window

Support

Only you can decide to quit. From there on you can get help and support to stay a non-smoker.

The NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline 0800 169 9 169 is a confidential support service. A specially trained person will answer your call and will listen to your needs, suggest different ways of giving up smoking, and can send you a free information pack.

Local NHS Stop Smoking Services are available in your area. Special help is available for pregnant mums and their partners who are finding it difficult to give up. To find out where your local service is, call the NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 9 169 or visit the Givingupsmoking website.

• Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Opens new window
• Department of Health website Opens new window

More useful links

• Giving up smoking (health and well-being section)