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Smoke warning for pregnant women
GIVING up smoking is one of the best gifts a pregnant woman can give her baby.
This was the message the Stop Smoking in Pregnancy service, based at Noble's Hospital, want to spread.
On Wednesday, which was No Smoking Day, members handed out leaflets to women and bubbles and balloons to children in the hospital's women's and children's directorate to promote the service and to highlight the smoking ban, which comes into effect on March 30.
Midwife specialist Mary O'Connor said: 'If you stop a pregnant woman smoking the effect is three-fold. It improves the health of the mother, the unborn baby and other members of the family who breathe in second hand smoke.'
Smoking while pregnant increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and foetal malformation.
Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant with them have an increased risk of being stillborn, having a low birth-weight and cot death.
Children who breathe in second hand smoke have an increased risk of developing asthma, respiratory illnesses and impaired growth and development.
Ms O'Connor said the service was not there to make mothers feel guilty or be judgmental but to help them and give them the support they need to stop smoking.
She added that it was essential to address the issue because 'children are the future'.
The service was set up in 2006 and Ms O'Connor said it was very successful – they had anticipated seeing 80 women a year but had seen three times as many.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South west
