Middlesbrough Mum Who Lost Her Baby Blames Smoking

A Middlesbrough mum pleading with pregnant women to quit smoking – after she believes it led to the loss of her unborn child.

Mum of three Jacqueline Brown quit smoking when she fell pregnant with her 22 month old daughter Erin Rose.

• “I started smoking when I was about 11 to fit in with friends at school. Before I quit, I smoked up to 25 cigarettes a day, and on a night out that would easily double. I began to notice how irritable and angry I felt when I didn’t have a cigarette. I couldn’t even walk up the stairs in my house without getting out of breath, I felt like I was living in the body of a 90-year-old.”*

• “After deciding to quit smoking, I then fell pregnant. I applied for some smoke-free information in the post, but unfortunately before the information could arrive I suffered a miscarriage which I put down to smoking. I was devastated and determined that it wouldn’t happen again, so when I fell pregnant the following June I attended the smoke-free clinic as soon as I could. At 41 I knew that there was a chance of miscarriage because of my age, but I couldn’t do anything to change that – what I could change was my smoking.”*

New figures reveal a 10% reduction of North East women smoking at the time they give birth compared to the same period last year.

Despite it being the largest fall in years we’ve still got the worst rates in the country at one in five north east women smoking during pregnancy.

Anti Smoking Charity Fresh North East are urging mums- to-be to join a one of a kind scheme to help them quit smoking. BabyClear embeds this kind of support into every maternity unit across the region.

Following its launch last year, around 450 midwifery staff and 150 Stop Smoking Service advisors have been given training to discuss the issues with women in a factual, blame-free way, as well as being provided with tools equipment to deliver interventions.

Lisa Surtees, Acting Director of Anti-Smoking Charity Fresh, said:

"Every parent wants to give their child the best possible start in life. For smokers who become pregnant, quitting smoking early in your pregnancy will not only protect your unborn baby from all of the horrible chemicals found in a cigarette, but will also reduce the risk of the unthinkable loss of miscarriage and stillbirth. The earlier that pregnant smokers can quit tobacco, the better it is for them and their baby, but it is never too late to stop.

"Midwives are the best placed health professionals to deliver really important health information to pregnant women across a whole range of topics. They can fully explain how smoking is one of the biggest risks to baby, and highlight the extra care and attention a prematurely born, underdeveloped baby needs.”

If you want to quit, you're up to four times more likely to succeed with NHS support. See your local pharmacy or GP, or call:

Gateshead**, South Tyneside** and Sunderland **NHS **Stop Smoking Service

0800 531 6317.

Northumberland NHS Stop Smoking Service

01670 813135

North Tyneside NHS Stop Smoking Service

0345 2000 101

Newcastle NHS Stop Smoking Service

0191 2292911