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04/10/2006
Teenagers 'smoking to get small babies'
Pregnant teenagers are deliberately smoking in order to have smaller babies and an easier time in childbirth, Public Health Minister Caroline Flint has warned.
According to 'Nursing Standard' magazine, Ms Flint made the claim at a fringe meeting at last week's Labour party conference, saying that she had heard reports from young mothers and health professionals.
The Minister said: "It is important that we understand what stops young women making healthy choices so we can provide the right answers to their concerns.
"In this case, childbirth is no less painful if your baby is low weight. So, smoking is not the answer, pain relief is."
Women who smoke during pregnancy are three times more likely to have a low birthweight baby, according to studies. They also have a 26% increased risk of miscarriage or still birth.
Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive of the National Childbirth Trust, warned that young women had been made "fearful of labour", due to a lack of education or "unnecessary frightening portrayals" of childbirth.
Gail Johnson from the Royal College of Midwives said that there was no evidence to suggest that having a smaller baby reduced the amount of pain experienced during labour.
(KMcA/SP)
According to 'Nursing Standard' magazine, Ms Flint made the claim at a fringe meeting at last week's Labour party conference, saying that she had heard reports from young mothers and health professionals.
The Minister said: "It is important that we understand what stops young women making healthy choices so we can provide the right answers to their concerns.
"In this case, childbirth is no less painful if your baby is low weight. So, smoking is not the answer, pain relief is."
Women who smoke during pregnancy are three times more likely to have a low birthweight baby, according to studies. They also have a 26% increased risk of miscarriage or still birth.
Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive of the National Childbirth Trust, warned that young women had been made "fearful of labour", due to a lack of education or "unnecessary frightening portrayals" of childbirth.
Gail Johnson from the Royal College of Midwives said that there was no evidence to suggest that having a smaller baby reduced the amount of pain experienced during labour.
(KMcA/SP)
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