THE number of women who smoke during pregnancy in Tameside has reached an all-time low, according to new data.
Some 349 mums have successfully quit the habit during pregnancy in the last three years.
The rates of smoking at the time of delivery in 2024/25 were at 5.8 per cent – below the averages in the North West which are above six per cent.
Around four in 100 pregnant women are smoking in the borough, NHS England figures state – a drop of over 11 per cent in the last nine years.
Tameside Council has put the progress down to the introduction in 2018 of Greater Manchester’s Smokefree Pregnancy programme. Delivered by local authorities and NHS trusts, it aims to tackle health inequalities, improve health and wellbeing, and save babies’ lives.
Pregnant women in Tameside can access specialist support to help them quit smoking through a referral to the Maternity Tobacco Dependency team at Tameside Hospital. The programme offers one-to-one advice, free nicotine replacement therapy, regular carbon monoxide checks, and incentives to stay smoke free.
Partners can also get help to quit through a free vape kit or referral to Be Well Tameside.
Those who stay smoke-free through pregnancy may be eligible for up to £400 in vouchers as part of the national incentive scheme, including rewards at one and three months postpartum.
Alysha, a mum from Ashton-under-Lyne, said: “When I saw the midwife and she gave me all the information about the risks to my baby before and after it was born, I knew stopping smoking was the best thing for my partner and me to do.”
The council’s Executive Member for Population Health and Wellbeing has described the impact of the programme as ‘simply incredible’.
“This is more than a statistic – it’s about babies born healthier, families empowered to live smoke-free, and a community working together to change lives,” added Cllr Tafheen Sharif.
Pregnant smokers can access support by speaking to their midwife, while new mums can also contact their health visitor or any other professional who will refer them to Be Well Tameside.