Banbury woman is one of scores kicking the smoking habit for their babies

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A pregnant Banbury woman is one of scores who are kicking the smoking habit for the sake of their babies.

Zarah Jaggs, 32, is nearly three months smoke free and is encouraging others to give up smoking, having received ‘outstanding’ support from a specialist maternity service launched by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) earlier this year.

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Zarah is one of more than 100 pregnant women being supported on their smoking cessation journey by the OUH Specialist Maternity Tobacco Dependency Service, which opened to referrals in January.

Smoking is the single greatest modifiable risk factor for poor outcomes in pregnancy, with nearly one in ten women still smoking when their baby is born.

Zarah Jaggs who has succeeded in stopping smoking during her pregnancy with the help of a specialist maternity teamZarah Jaggs who has succeeded in stopping smoking during her pregnancy with the help of a specialist maternity team
Zarah Jaggs who has succeeded in stopping smoking during her pregnancy with the help of a specialist maternity team

The free OUH service provides behavioural support and nicotine replacement products, helping pregnant women across Oxfordshire quit smoking tobacco and giving them, their babies and families the best outcomes in pregnancy and a smoke free future.

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Mother-of-three Zarah, who is expecting her next baby in January 2025, has smoked most of her life and was referred to the service through her midwife.

Her treatment has included weekly nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) meetings and the use of a vape and chewing gum. She started smoking as a ‘crutch’ to deal with stress before it became ‘a habit I couldn’t break’.

But, now, Zarah is nearly three months smoke free and, speaking during Stoptober, is encouraging other pregnant women to get the support they need.

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She said: “My quit journey is going very well – I am now smoke free and getting healthier.

“I had tried to quit many times over the years but it never stuck. Just before I found out I was pregnant, a close family member got mouth cancer and that made me realise I needed to quit and be there for my children.

“As somebody who thought I would never be able to quit, being able to say I’m smoke free, is amazing. The support I have received and continue to receive is outstanding. If you feel ready to quit, please ask your midwife for a referral.”

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Details of the service, which provides support throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period, are shared at the start of the pregnancy and an automatic referral can be sent, if appropriate. The service then makes contact to offer support. Referrals can be made via any member of the Maternity team at any point during pregnancy.

The team of six provides a 12-week programme that includes one-to-one support, information about useful products and help with setting a quit date. It also offers discussions on dealing with triggers and difficult situations, as well as a support network for the women and their families.

Every cigarette smoked contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are dangerous. Stopping smoking helps both mother and baby immediately, helping to clear harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide, from the body.

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The benefits of stopping smoking while pregnant include reduced risk of complications in pregnancy and birth, a better chance of a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby, reduced risk of stillbirth, less chance of premature birth, a healthier birth weight for baby – babies of smokers are, on average, lighter than other babies, which can cause problems during and after labour, and reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as ‘cot death’.

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