County records lowest number smoking in pregnancy

Record low numbers of women are now smoking during pregnancy, say Shropshire health leaders.

A meeting this week is set to be told the figures for smoking at the time of delivery are now 4.8%, well below the government's 6% target and the lowest figure recorded locally.

Chiefs at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) say the latest statistics "reflect the dedication of the specialist maternity team to support women to give up smoking."

Kara Blackwell, director of nursing at SaTH, said the figures "reflect the dedication of the specialist maternity team to support women to give up smoking throughout their pregnancy".

The partnership working with women, families and local maternity teams, saw maternal smoking rates at the time of birth fall to 4.8%, in March.

Officials confirmed it was the lowest rate ever recorded for the organisation.

The information forms part of a report into smoking set to be presented to a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council's health and wellbeing board on Thursday.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.