TAMESIDE has seen the biggest fall in the number of women smoking during pregnancy out of the 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester.
New figures reveal that Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust has seen the largest reduction, from 11.6 per cent in 2022/23 to 6.9 per cent in 2023/24.
Across Greater Manchester as a whole, the rates have now fallen for six successive years.
In Tameside, the council feels the support available to expectant parents through the Maternity Tobacco Dependency Service has played a key role.
It has helped ensure that women have a healthy pregnancy, babies and children get the best start in life and prevents young people from being exposed to second-hand smoke or seeing smoking around them.
Councillor Eleanor Wills, Executive Member for Population Health and Wellbeing, said: “We are very proud to have had the biggest decrease in figures and would like to thank the teams involved in making this happen.
“The Maternity Tobacco Dependency Service’s commitment to supporting expectant mums to have a smokefree pregnancy not only benefits babies by giving them the best start in life, but also benefits the mum and family.
“We know it can take multiple attempts to quit smoking for good and encourage people in Tameside who smoke to explore the range of stop smoking support available to them.”
Residents can access free stop smoking support through Be Well Tameside, the Smoke Free app available 24/7 or by speaking to their GP.
For more information, visit https://www.tameside.gov.uk/bewelltameside#1