Pregnancy smoking test necessary, says Nice

Pregnant women should be tested to ascertain whether they smoke and given appropriate quitting advice, according to a national health watchdog.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has called for all pregnant women to be breath tested at their first ante-natal appointment, with the aim of providing tailored advice to help expectant mothers kick the habit.

The NHS can recommend treatments from counselling to stop smoking hypnotherapy, helping pregnant women to address the reasons behind their smoking, halting cravings and tackling the issue in the long term.

Smoking is harmful to the unborn baby, increasing the risk of complications during pregnancy, miscarriage and birth defects, with those who smoke far more likely to have a baby with a low birth weight. In addition, children born to mothers who smoke are at greater risk of developing asthma, chest infections and hyperactivity disorders.

For those who don't smoke, the carbon monoxide breath test could highlight expectant mothers that have been unknowingly exposed to faulty boilers, car fumes or second hand smoke, according to The Telegraph.

The BBC reports that some midwives have attacked the proposed test, commenting that it could make women feel guilty. Nevertheless, Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre for Public Health Excellence at Nice, defended the test, saying: ''This isn't to penalise [pregnant women] if they have been smoking, but instead will be a useful way to show women that both smoking and passive smoking can lead to having high levels of carbon monoxide in their systems.''

Whilst the Royal College of Midwives has backed the plans for testing, it has urged the NHS to consider ''non judgemental'' ways of dealing with women as individuals.