Campaign targets pregnant smokers

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The ad campaign, from NHS Smokefree, will highlight how every smoked cigarette restricts essential oxygen to the baby.

A baby's heart has to beat harder every time a pregnant woman smokes, it will show.

Around one in five pregnant women in England smoke during their pregnancy - equal to about 100,000 women at any one time.

A poll of 224 pregnant women for the campaign revealed 28% would seek help to stop smoking but were worried about being judged.

A total of 38% said they sometimes hid their smoking because they were worried about people criticising them, while 39% said they were ashamed to admit their habit to their midwife or healthcare professional.

A wider survey of more than 2,000 adults found 49% were critical of pregnant women who smoked.

Dr Miriam Stoppard, who is backing the campaign, said: "Pregnant women who smoke do not automatically find it easy to stop smoking as soon as they become pregnant, often hiding their smoking rather than asking for help to quit, because they feel that they will be criticised.

"Pregnancy can be a particularly difficult time to stop smoking - and rather than stigmatising these women, we should be guiding them to their local NHS Stop Smoking Service for expert advice and support to help them quit."

The NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline number is 0800 1699 169.