Record Drop in Smoking During Pregnancy Across Humber and North Yorkshire

The proportion of women in Humber and North Yorkshire smoking during pregnancy has fallen significantly over the last 12 months, according to data published by NHS England

Statistics on Women's Smoking Status at Time of Delivery shows that 8.3% of pregnant women (1,141 women) across Humber and North Yorkshire ICB were recorded as smoking in 2024/25. This is 1.8% lower than the previous year, when maternal smoking rates were 10.1% across the ICB. This equates to 224 fewer women smoking compared to last year. 

This is the lowest rate of smoking during pregnancy recorded in Humber and North Yorkshire since data began to be collected. This also reflects improvement across England as a whole, where SATOD rates fell to 6.1% from 7.4% last year.

The drop in maternal smoking rates follows the introduction of a new national model of stop smoking support for pregnant women, which began to be rolled out in Humber and North Yorkshire in 2022 of part of the NHS Long Term Plan. This initiative tasked maternity teams with responsibility for supporting pregnant smokers to quit by training midwifery staff to provide ongoing behavioural support and access to stop smoking medications. Support to quit is also widely available to partners and other household members who smoke.

Smoking during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of harm to both mother and baby. It increases the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, and sudden infant death. Children born to parents who smoke are also more likely to experience respiratory illness, learning difficulties, and diabetes, and are more likely to grow up to be smokers when compared to children born into smokefree households.

As well as the health harms caused by smoking during pregnancy, it also adds to the cost of living and pushes families further into poverty. The average smoker spends £3,000 per year on tobacco, with younger women from the most deprived areas being the most likely to smoke and be exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy.

Scott Crosby, Associate Director for the Humber and North Yorkshire Centre for Excellence in Tobacco Control said:

"it is positive to see the progress that is being made to tackle smoking in pregnancy, as demonstrated by these latest figures.

However, there are still over 1,100 mums-to-be across Humber and North Yorkshire smoking throughout pregnancy, exposing both themselves and their unborn babies to significant risk.

We know that maternal smoking is estimated to cost the NHS around £20 million in year, but it is the human cost which is more tragic.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill which is currently proceeding through parliament sets out an ambition for a smokefree society, and we must do more to ensure that expert support to quit smoking is available to all pregnant women and that measures are introduced to dissuade more young people from becoming addicted to tobacco".

Becky Case, Local Maternity and Neonatal System Programme Director Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership said:

"The latest decline in smoking at delivery rates shows the progress that is being made across the maternity system and the wider NHS in terms of supporting smokers to quit.

The NHS Long Term Plan over recent years has funded additional tobacco dependence treatment, particularly within maternity services.

Everyone wants the best start in life for their unborn baby, and women should know that they can access expert, non-judgmental support from their maternity teams across Humber and North Yorkshire.

We also hope that the current ongoing rollout of the National Smokefree Pregnancy Incentive Scheme across our area will help us engage with even more smokers who want to quit and lead to more smokefree pregnancies".

For help to quit smoking, visit https://www.yestoquit.co.uk