The Friends of St Mary’s Hospital are helping to encourage smoke-free pregnancies on the Isle of Wight by spending £3,653 on 20 micro-smokerlyzers.
Elinor Jenkins, Reducing Smoking Pregnancy Support, said around 15 percent of pregnant women smoke.
She said,
“It is a significant health risk for these women and unborn babies.
“It increases the risk of stillbirth, premature labour, and miscarriage, and slowed foetal growth.”
Assessing CO levels
Carbon monoxide (CO) levels are raised in smokers, and CO monitors are used to assess these levels in pregnant women when they are booked in.
Certain CO levels can indicate exposure to cigarette smoke or to environmental CO. Readings can then support smoking cessation and/or health messages.
Image: Lining up in Maternity Services with some hand-held smokerlizers are (left to right): Elinor Jenkins, Student Midwife Carly Wyre-Noke, Labour Ward Technician Lizzie Bull, midwives Sam Bail, Sarah Page, and Sarah Packham, Lead Midwife Danielle Coombes, and Substance Use Midwife Gill Griffin.
News shared by George on behalf of Friends of St Mary’s Hospital. Ed
