WE are constantly being reminded of the dangers of smoking - particularly for mothers during pregnancy. But the stark warnings obviously aren't hitting home as thousand of pregnant women continue to smoke throughout their pregnancy - putting their unborn children at risk. Now the government has launched a campaign called "No Tar Mum" in a bid to reduce the number of women who carry on lighting up while they are pregnant. Reporters AMANDA KILLELEA and CATHERINE SMYTH look at the dangers of smoking while pregnant and what is being done in East Lancashire to educate mothers.

WALKING up the drive to Queen's Park Hospital the first thing you are likely to see is a heavily pregnant young woman, sitting on a bench smoking.

It isn't a pretty sight. Many people would think that what people do to their own bodies is up to them, but when there is an unborn child to consider it is a different matter.

But still the message that smoking can harm unborn babies is not getting through.

The warnings are frightening enough - women who smoke during pregnancy are three times more likely to have a low birth weight baby, 27% more likely to miscarry and a third more likely to suffer still-birth.

Smoking while pregnant has also been linked to cot deaths, and increased chances of congenital defects.

East Lancashire midwives are trained to discuss the dangers of smoking with mothers-to-be and help them to give up cigarettes for the sake of their own and their baby's health.

But, despite the health warnings, it still seems to be an uphill struggle.

Christine Hindle, midwifery manager at Queen's Park Hospital, said: "Our midwives have a difficult task as they want to educate mothers about the dangers of smoking while pregnant, and encourage them to give up, without hassling them and putting them under so much pressure that they don't come back to see us. "Every women who comes to see us is asked about their smoking habits, and if they don't feel they can give up we try to encourage them to change to a brand of cigarettes that has a lower nicotine and tar level. We tell them the dangers, but sometimes if we say that smoking can cause lower birth weights, women think this is good as they may have an easier labour, but what they don't realise is that if their baby is born prematurely it can lead to problems."

Last year at Queen's Park Hospital 63% of pregnant women were non-smokers, 13% stopped smoking during pregnancy, but 24% carried on.

Nationally the number of pregnant smokers has remained unchanged since 1992, with young women from poorer backgrounds more likely to smoke than those with higher incomes, according to research by the Health Education Authority.

And it is estimated that every year more than 400 babies are stillborn or die soon after birth because their mothers smoke.

The Government's No Tar Mum campaign has signed up celebrities including former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies and actress Tina Hobley to appear on TV, radio and on posters to highlight the problems.

But locally, midwives and hospital staff are working just as hard to help pregnant smokers to quit.

Christine said: "We can give mothers-to-be lots of help to stop smoking if they want to. We give them leaflets with smoking plans to follow, and we offer them carbon monoxide level checks. "Often women don't consider giving up smoking while pregnant until their second or third pregnancy, particularly if they haven't encountered any problems in earlier pregnancies.

"Women also see pregnancy as a stressful period of their lives and feel smoking helps them with this. What we try to make them see is that once they've had a cigarette and the nicotine level in their bodies drop, the craving for another cigarette is a stressful thing in itself.

"What pregnant women must realise is that we are here to help them. Their midwives, health visitors and GPs are there to give them help, support and advice. If they want to know more about the dangers of smoking while pregnancy, or want some help and support in giving up, all they need to do is ask."

In Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 9% of women who smoke when they find themselves pregnant make no attempt to alter their habit.

But when they have their first hospital ante-natal appointment 34% of smokers are already thinking of stopping, 35% have started to cut down and 12% have already stopped. Directorate Midwife at Burnley Health Care Trust Margaret Pickles said: "I think the majority of women do realise the significance of smoking while pregnant and they are more inclined to try to stop smoking to protect their unborn child. It is very difficult however if you have been smoking for long time. A lot of our midwives have done a course on helping people to change their smoking habits and we also have a support team to help them to reduce smoking.

"I am sure there must be something more we can do because of the number of women who do continue to smoke, but smoking is addictive.

"We do have facilities within the trust to help women, the hospital's health education department has support groups.

"I am a non-smoker so I can't really understand how difficult it is to quit but if you look at it in relation to losing weight you need a lot of will power. You have your baby's health to think of and your baby will benefit much more if you stop - but 9% of women still won't listen."

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