Shocking statistics show 1 in 10 mums smoke during pregnancy in Thanet

Shocking statistics have revealed that one in 10 mums smoke during pregnancy in a Kent district.

New NHS figures show 11.9% of expectant mothers in Thanet light up, compared with an average of 7.7% across the county.

The second worst in Kent was Gravesham with 9.8%, followed by Maidstone and Swale, both with 9.1%.

The national figure is lower still, with 6.1% of women in England recorded as smokers at the time of delivery in 2024-25, according to NHS Digital.

A Kent GP has now spoken out on the devastating impacts smoking while pregnant can have.

Dr Julian Spinks, who is based in Medway, told kmfm: “We all know that smoking is bad for you anyway, but in the case of pregnancy, you’ve got the mother and the baby, and smoking affects both of them.

“We’ve known for a very long time that things like smoking will increase the risk of miscarriage, increase the risk of premature birth and the baby dying inside the womb or just after they’re born – about a third of all deaths in that circumstance are down to smoking.

“There are other things. If you’re smoking around the time when you’re in early pregnancy, there are greater risks of things like cleft palate and cleft lip.

“The baby’s growth can be affected, so they are born lighter and more prematurely. There’s more likely to be bleeding at the end of pregnancy, and then after the baby’s born, they’re at greater risk of things like cot death, asthma, ear infections, pneumonia, and we think things like ADHD.

"It's amazing how much of a bad effect smoking can be, which is why we're very keen to get women to stop smoking, ideally before they get pregnant, but actually once they're pregnant, they definitely need to stop."

Dr Spinks says the high rates of deprivation in areas such as Thanet coincide with higher levels of smoking.

He explained: “Things like smoking, heavy drinking, lack of exercise, poor diet - all of those things tend to go with deprivation.

"That's why we see that variation across Medway too, where some of the less deprived areas will have lower levels of smoking and others will have higher, but it averages out around that 7-7.5%.

“That is still too much because that's putting an awful lot of babies at risk."

The government has set a national target to reduce smoking in pregnancy to 6% - almost half the current rate in Thanet.

Dr Spinks urged expectant mothers to speak to their midwives about specialist services, and highlighted NHS schemes that can provide support.

They include vouchers worth up to £400 for those who remain smoke-free during the Stoptober campaign.

He added: “It is definitely worthwhile stopping smoking at any time during the pregnancy if you haven’t so far.

“Especially as the latter half of pregnancy is all about growth. If you stop smoking any time in pregnancy, it will have an effect even a week before you deliver.”

“It’s the biggest thing you can do to improve your health if you’re a smoker – to stop those cigarettes – and so I’d really encourage people to think about giving up this October.”