Responding to the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group report 鈥楻eview of the Challenge 2018鈥 published today, Dr Max Davie, Officer for Health Promotion for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), said:
鈥淪moking during pregnancy can significantly harm a baby and with over 4,000 toxic chemicals going straight into their fragile body with each cigarette smoked, it鈥檚 hardly surprising the risks are so serious 鈥 stillbirth, cot death, problems breathing and feeding and being more prone to infection.
"Government鈥檚 smoking in pregnancy reduction target might seem ambitious but with concerted effort, it can be achieved and as a result hundreds of babies will go on to survive and thrive. As children鈥檚 doctors, we fully support the recommendations outlined in today鈥檚 report and urge Government to act quickly, particularly with support aimed at those families considered most at risk.鈥