«Breaking News» Pregnant women in Blackpool are 23 TIMES more likely to smoke than those in West London

More than a quarter of pregnant women in Blackpool smoke while they are expecting, NHS figures have revealed, which is over double the English average.

Mothers in the Lancashire town are 23 times more likely to smoke while pregnant than mothers in West London.

Despite it being well-known that smoking while pregnant can give babies serious health problems, one in 10 expectant mothers in England don't ditch the cigarettes.

And the rates of smoking during pregnancy vary across the country, with women in the north nearly three times more likely to smoke than those in London.

Blackpool is the worst offender, where 27.5 per cent of pregnant women smoke, followed by Swale in Kent (23.8 per cent) and North East Lincolnshire (22.9 per cent).

Whereas the problem is smaller in London – nine of the 10 areas with the lowest smoking rates are boroughs of the capital, headed by West London on 1.2 per cent. 

Experts say the new figures show a 'welcome decline' in smoking rates during pregnancy, but warn there are still too many women risking their babies' lives.

Blackpool has the highest number of women who smoke while pregnant, followed by Swale in Kent, North East and East Lincolnshire, and Corby in Northamptonshire – the rates are significantly lower in London

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

NHS figures released today reveal the number of women who said they were smokers at the time of giving birth between April and June this year. 

The numbers are recorded by local NHS organisations around the country and relate to 147,770 births during the three-month period.

And 15,151 of those babies – 10.4 per cent – were born to mothers who continued to smoke tobacco while they were expecting.

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

But only 33 out of 195 areas met this target in the first quarter of this year, and a tenth of women across England fail to quit before they give birth.

And in 103 areas – more than half – rates are higher than average.

Smoking during pregnancy has been proven to worsen babies' health as they grow older and to increase the risk of a premature birth or cot death.

'Smoking during pregnancy is a leading cause of still birth and miscarriage as well as premature birth and low birth weight,' Vicky Salt, policy manager at Action on Smoking and Health, told MailOnline.

'The data released today shows a welcome decline in women smoking during pregnancy. 

'However, this is only across three months and while a few areas are already reaching the Government's six per cent target, many more are nowhere near. 

'We must ensure fewer women are smoking when they become pregnant and that midwives are properly trained to help those who are smoking quit as soon as possible. 

'Too many areas are still not implementing best practice and this has a real cost in babies lives.' 

Only 33 out of 195 areas across England met the NHS's target to reduce the proportion of women smoking while pregnant to six per cent, and a tenth of women fail to quit before they give birth

10 AREAS WITH THE MOST MOTHERS WHO SMOKED DURING PREGNANCY

1. Blackpool (27.5%)


2. Swale, Kent (23.8%)


3. North East Lincolnshire (22.9%)


4. Lincolnshire East (22%)


5. Corby, Northamptonshire (21.8)


6. Durham (21.8%)


7. Mansfield and Ashfield (20.6%)


8. South Kent Coast (20.5%)


9. Thanet, Kent (20.5%) 


10. West Norfolk (19.9%)

Source: NHS Digital – data for April to June 2018 

10 AREAS WITH THE FEWEST MOTHERS WHO SMOKED DURING PREGNANCY 

1. West London (1.2%)


2. Hammersmith and Fulham (1.5%)


3. Richmond (2.1%)


4. Hounslow (2.3%)


5. Brent (2.6%)


6. Barnet (2.7%)


7. Wandsworth (3%)


8. Redbridge (3.1%)


9. Horsham and Mid Sussex (3.3%)


10. Tower Hamlets (3.3%) 

Source: NHS Digital – data for April to June 2018 

Regionally, pregnant women in the North of England smoke more than those anywhere else – 13.7 per cent of them smoked while expecting.

In the Midlands and East of England that figure was 11.1 per cent, in the South West 11 per cent, and in the South East 9.5 per cent.   

Clare Livingstone, professional policy advisor at the Royal College of Midwives added: 'The regional variation in these new statistics is a concern and there is a clear need to target those areas where this is higher than others.

STACEY SOLOMON CAUGHT SMOKING WHILE PREGNANT 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.'

'There is no doubt that smoking in pregnancy can harm the developing child. 

'Smoking in pregnancy is one of the major factors in the UK's relatively high stillbirth rates compared to many other western nations. 

'If we can reduce the numbers smoking in pregnancy, we can start to reduce stillbirths.

'Stopping smoking is never as simple as simply putting the cigarette down. People's lives, circumstances and motivations are all very different. 

'However, supporting women and their families to stop smoking requires significant, long-term investment and the Government need to provide sufficient funding to reverse the cuts already made to public health services, and ensure fit for purpose services are available to all who need them in the future.' 

In London the proportion of pregnant women who smoke is just 4.7 per cent, making it the only region to meet the national six per cent target.

And among the 10 areas with the lowest rates, nine of them are London boroughs – West London, Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond, Hounslow, Brent, Barnet, Wandsworth, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets.

Horsham and Mid Sussex also featured in the bottom 10, with just 3.3 per cent of mothers smoking while they're pregnant.  

The NHS strongly advises pregnant women to stop smoking in order to avoid harming their baby.

Smoking increases the risk of stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome, known as cot death.

Cigarettes are thought to contribute to some 5,000 miscarriages and 300 stillbirths a year in the UK.

And children who are born to smokers are more likely to grow up to have asthma or have other breathing, feeding or health problems.

WHERE IN ENGLAND ARE PREGNANT WOMEN MOST LIKELY TO SMOKE? NHS AREAS RANKED BY PERCENTAGE OF SMOKERS (NHS Digital data from April to June 2018) 

NHS area	Number of maternities	Number of smokers	Percentage of mothers who smoked during pregnancy (%)
Blackpool	443	122	27.5
Swale	336	80	23.8
North East Lincolnshire	423	97	22.9
Lincolnshire East	510	111	22
Corby	211	46	21.8
Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield	687	146	21.4
Mansfield and Ashfield	465	96	20.6
South Kent Coast	494	100	20.5
Thanet	364	74	20.5
West Norfolk	359	71	19.9
Hull3	834	161	19.3
South Tees	758	145	19.2
North Lincolnshire	424	81	19.1
Telford and Wrekin	506	95	18.8
Great Yarmouth and Waveney	513	92	17.9
Newark and Sherwood	281	50	17.9
Stoke on Trent	847	149	17.7
Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale	656	115	17.5
Erewash	233	40	17.5
St Helens	484	83	17.2
Hardwick	248	42	17.2
Sunderland	651	111	17.1
Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees	730	124	17
Wyre Forest	276	45	16.8
Halton	334	55	16.6
Rotherham	621	102	16.4
Canterbury and Coastal	443	72	16.4
Wirral	786	117	16.3
Wakefield	959	155	16.2
Barnsley	725	117	16.1
Southern Derbyshire	1,408	227	16.1
Scarborough and Ryedale	232	37	15.9
East Lancashire	1,038	162	15.8
Wolverhampton	784	123	15.7
Doncaster	790	120	15.6
West Lancashire	186	29	15.6
Wigan Borough	773	120	15.5
Nottingham City	986	150	15.5
Bradford Districts	1,175	180	15.4
Medway	856	132	15.4
Ashford	362	55	15.2
Newcastle Gateshead	1,209	182	15.1
Greater Preston	558	84	15.1
Isle of Wight	253	38	15
Calderdale	558	83	14.9
Knowsley	479	71	14.9
South Sefton	376	55	14.7
Oldham	774	113	14.6
Fareham and Gosport	445	63	14.6
Tameside and Glossop	687	99	14.4
East Riding of Yorkshire	636	91	14.3
North Kirklees	623	88	14.3
Lincolnshire West	544	77	14.3
South Lincolnshire	326	45	14.3
Darlington	248	34	14.1
South West Lincolnshire	265	37	14.1
Herefordshire	404	53	14.1
North Derbyshire	595	82	13.9
Shropshire	670	93	13.9
Dudley	867	120	13.9
Leeds	2,422	319	13.8
Milton Keynes	708	88	13.8
North Staffordshire	450	61	13.6
South Worcestershire	670	90	13.6
North Cumbria	681	92	13.5
Fylde and Wyre	292	39	13.4
South Devon and Torbay	638	85	13.4
Bury	528	70	13.3
Kernow	1,237	163	13.2
Hastings and Rother	693	90	13
Portsmouth	622	78	12.9
Southampton	805	103	12.8
South Tyneside	363	46	12.7
South Cheshire	415	52	12.7
Greater Huddersfield	549	69	12.6
Salford	788	99	12.6
South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula	491	59	12.6
Warwickshire North	368	46	12.5
South Eastern Hampshire	426	51	12.5
Liverpool	1,459	181	12.4
Sheffield	1,471	178	12.1
Blackburn with Darwen	542	65	12.1
Walsall	928	99	12.1
North East Essex	778	93	12
Stafford and Surrounds	360	42	11.8
Swindon	661	78	11.8
Bolton	875	102	11.7
Northern, Eastern and Western Devon	1,952	219	11.7
Vale Royal	270	31	11.6
Nene	1,797	208	11.6
Cannock Chase	344	39	11.6
Bradford City	340	39	11.5
Somerset	1,280	146	11.4
Norwich	586	66	11.3
Coastal West Sussex	1,117	120	11.2
Gloucestershire	1,604	180	11.2
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough	2,416	254	11.1
Morecambe Bay	745	81	11
West Suffolk	543	55	11
Redditch and Bromsgrove	434	47	11
North Durham	516	56	10.9
Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven	367	39	10.7
Coventry and Rugby	1,326	138	10.5
Bassetlaw	254	26	10.4
Southport and Formby	231	24	10.4
South Norfolk	539	56	10.4
Dorset	1,631	165	10.3
Chorley and South Ribble	410	42	10.2
West Leicestershire	666	68	10.2
West Kent	1,277	129	10.1
Vale of York	766	76	10
Northumberland	634	63	10
Thurrock	516	51	9.9
North Norfolk	308	30	9.7
Leicester City	1,173	113	9.6
Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford	168	16	9.6
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire	2,609	251	9.6
Nottingham North and East	370	35	9.5
Wiltshire	1,116	105	9.4
Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley	732	68	9.3
Basildon and Brentwood	621	57	9.2
Bedfordshire	1,368	123	9.1
East Staffordshire	341	31	9.1
Manchester	1,947	175	9
Stockport	834	74	8.9
West Cheshire	500	43	8.7
West Essex	823	65	8.5
Greenwich	1,012	84	8.4
Buckinghamshire	1,296	109	8.4
Southend	498	40	8.3
North Tyneside	541	44	8.2
Luton	771	63	8.2
Castle Point and Rochford	384	31	8.2
South Warwickshire	546	44	8.2
Bath and North East Somerset	388	32	8.2
Nottingham West	197	16	8.1
Oxfordshire	1,653	131	8
Birmingham and Solihull	3,975	284	7.7
Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby	291	22	7.6
Warrington	465	35	7.6
Ipswich and East Suffolk	983	75	7.6
Surrey Heath	223	17	7.6
East and North Hertfordshire	1,544	115	7.5
Islington	695	51	7.4
West Hampshire	1,211	89	7.4
Harrogate and Rural District	311	22	7.3
Eastern Cheshire	455	33	7.3
Havering	803	58	7.3
Lewisham	1,077	71	7.2
Barking and Dagenham	884	61	7
North Hampshire	569	39	6.9
Bexley	675	45	6.7
High Weald Lewes Havens	345	23	6.7
Trafford	610	40	6.6
Mid Essex	1,029	56	6.5
East Berkshire	1,226	80	6.5
Brighton and Hove	666	42	6.4
Waltham Forest	1,060	64	6.2
Sandwell and West Birmingham	1,834	109	6.1
Croydon	1,312	80	6.1
East Surrey	461	28	6.1
East Leicestershire and Rutland	653	39	6
Guildford and Waverley	516	31	6
Rushcliffe	261	15	5.8
Enfield	1,012	59	5.8
North East Hampshire and Farnham	593	34	5.7
Haringey	950	53	5.6
Berkshire West	1,399	78	5.6
Crawley	380	21	5.6
North West Surrey	974	45	5.6
Newham	1,384	73	5.5
Herts Valleys	1,685	87	5.2
Sutton	556	28	5.1
Harrow	793	38	4.8
Hillingdon	912	42	4.6
Bromley	938	40	4.3
Kingston	553	23	4.2
Camden	645	25	4
Ealing	934	36	3.9
Southwark	975	37	3.9
City and Hackney	1,166	43	3.8
Surrey Downs	694	26	3.8
Merton	644	24	3.7
Central London (Westminster)	380	13	3.5
Lambeth	1,128	37	3.4
Tower Hamlets	1,133	36	3.3
Horsham and Mid Sussex	531	17	3.3
Redbridge	1,065	32	3.1
Wandsworth	798	24	3
Barnet	1,181	32	2.7
Brent	1,067	27	2.6
Hounslow	139	3	2.3
Richmond	326	7	2.1
Hammersmith and Fulham	524	8	1.5
West London	492	6	1.2

Link article

https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/06/pregnant-women-in-blackpool-are-23-times-more-likely-to-smoke-than-those-in-west-london/
Main photo article More than a quarter of pregnant women in Blackpool smoke while they are expecting, NHS figures have revealed, which is over double the English average.
Mothers in the Lancashire town are 23 times more likely to smoke while pregnant than mothers in West London.
Despite it being well-known that...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves Health HienaLouca





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