Smokefree pregnancy

Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life. It can be difficult to stop smoking, but it’s never too late to quit.

One of the most important things you can do for your baby’s health, growth and development is to give up smoking. It is also important to your own long-term health. Stopping smoking will help both you and your baby immediately. Harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide, and other damaging chemicals will clear from your body.

Did you know children whose parents smoke are more likely to suffer from asthma and other serious illnesses that may need hospital treatment?

Stopping smoking now will also help your baby later in their life. The sooner you stop smoking, the better. But even if you stop in the last few weeks of your pregnancy this will benefit you and your baby.

If you or anyone in your household smokes at the time of your first appointment with the midwife (booking appointment) your midwife will refer you to the stop smoking service unless you decline. Your midwife will also test your carbon monoxide levels at the booking appointment or shortly after if your booking appointment is over the telephone. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste and exposure to high levels can be harmful to you and your baby. This will be repeated when you are around 35-36 weeks pregnant. If you are a smoker the midwife will offer to test your carbon monoxide levels at each appointment.

Maternity smoking cessation service at West Herts

Birthing people who wish to access support to help them stop smoking can access our enhanced smoking cessation service.

We offer an individually tailored 12-week programme which includes non-judgemental behavioural therapy, free nicotine replacement therapy, free vapes and your own smokerlyzer to monitor your carbon monoxide levels. This programme will be designed by a specially trained stop smoking advisor alongside midwifery led services as part of your existing maternity care pathway.

The clinics run across all of our hospital sites: Watford General Hospital, St Albans City Hospital and Hemel Hempstead Hospital

The full service (including NRTs and the incentive scheme) is open to antenatal patients of West Herts Trust who live, work or have GP in Hertfordshire.

Behavioural support is available for all antenatal patients at West Herts Trust.

If you’ve had your baby and would like help to stop smoking, let us know and we can refer you to Hertfordshire Health Improvement Service.

Mums can be referred to the smoking cessation team by community midwives, health visitors, consultant obstetricians or any other healthcare professional coordinating the care of mums, along with their unborn and newborn babies.

Alternatively, you can self-refer to the service by emailing us on westherts.matstopsmoking@nhs.net

Meet the team

Jana Nixon and Noleen Lynch are part of our smoking cessation team, here to support you achieve a smoke free pregnancy with us at West Herts.

Picture of Jana Nixon
Jana Nixon

Picture of Noleen Lynch
Noleen Lynch

"We know that giving up smoking can seem hard but it is possible and we're here to help. No judgement, just support"

Contact us

Telephone: 01923 244366

Direct: Noleen 07977395484 or Jana 07977395466

Email: westherts.matstopsmoking@nhs.net

Maternity Unit
Ground Floor, Women and Children’s Services Building
Watford General Hospital
Vicarage Road,
Watford,
Hertfordshire
WD18 0HB

More info


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How to get help

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Refer yourself