Smoking during pregnancy halved in Warwickshire as NHS hits national target
Local maternity teams praised as rates drop and new support schemes roll out.
Coventry and Warwickshire are among the best-performing areas in England for reducing smoking during pregnancy, new NHS Digital data shows.
The region is one of just four Midlands Integrated Care Boards to meet the national target of 6%, set in the 2017 Tobacco Control Plan, for the first time.
At George Eliot Hospital, rates fell from 13.8% in 2020/21 to 6.3% in 2024/25. University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire also recorded its lowest figures in years, thanks to strong collaboration with local stop smoking teams.
Initiatives such as the Love Your Bump campaign, a vape pilot, and early referrals for support have helped more people quit. The work has been led by maternity staff, public health midwives, and the Smoke Free Coventry and Warwickshire partnership.
Coventry has adopted the Maternity Incentive Scheme, with Warwickshire set to follow in autumn.
Councillors praised the progress and urged pregnant people who smoke to speak to their midwife or visit: smokefreecw.co.uk/ssip