Pregnant women's smoking habits shows a drop over 20 years

A review of smoking during pregnancy in New South Wales has found rates have dropped by more than 50 per cent over a 22 year period. But the research also reveals some pregnant women are still continuing to smoke despite the risks.

A pregnant woman holds a mask Source: AAP

HIGHLIGHTS

• Mothers aged under 25 from a lower socio economic background were more likely to smoke during pregnancy
• The research - published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - found the number of women smoking during pregnancy in the state had more than halved in that time
• the drop reflects the success of anti-smoking campaigns like plain packaging and mandatory health warnings Listen to SBS Filipino 10am-11am dailyFollow us on Facebook for more stories

Smoking during pregnancy has been linked with several avoidable health outcomes, including miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, low infant weight and pre-term births.