Maternal smoking and reproductive life

Tanith Muller - Director
BMA Tobacco Control Resource Centre, Edinburgh

Tanith Muller, Director of BMA, Tobacco Control Resource Centre, Edinborough summarised the report - Smoking and Reproductive Life - The Impact of Smoking on sexual, reproductive and child health (BMA 2004). The report presents the first focused overview of the impact of smoking on sexual, reproductive and child health in the UK today. Smoking in pregnancy is the largest preventable cause of fetal and infant ill-health and death. There is a need for greater public awareness since the information presented today is disturbing.

Social circumstances and smoke free homes

Claire Blackburn - Senior Lecturer
School of Health & Social Studies, University of Warwick

Clare Blackburn, Senior Lecturer, School health and Social Studies, Warwick University presented the findings from two research studies. The first study examined parents knowledge and use of harm reduction strategies to protect children from second hand smoke in the home. The second study aimed to improve knowledge about father's smoking habits, what they know about the effect of smoke on infants and examine factors that make it difficult for them to stop.

Carbon monoxide breath testing

Shirley Hamilton - Senior Health Promotion Officer
Smoking Concerns, NHS Greater Glasgow

Shirley Hamilton Senior Health Promotion Officer, Smoking Concerns, Glasgow illustrated how an integrated midwife led service for pregnant smokers was established in Glasgow.
In Glasgow all pregnant women (smokers/non-smokers) are routinely offered a CO breath test as part of their first antenatal appointment. Since this development was launched in May 2004 a low number of women refused CO monitoring.

NRT in pregnancy: the evidence

Hayden McRobbie
Tobacco Dependence Research & Treatment Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine

Hayden McRobbie, Tobacco Dependence Research & Treatment Centre, London presented the evidence on NRT use in pregnancy. Hayden reminded the audience of the progress that has been made in helping pregnant women to stop smoking. On the basis of current information and within the parameters laid out by NICE guidance recommendations were made for its use in pregnancy.

Nurse prescribing of NRT

Sue Randall - Smoking and Pregnancy Advisor
Warwickshire Stop Smoking Service

Sue Randall, Smoking in Pregnancy Advisor, Warwickshire Stop Smoking Service, South Warwickshire PCT is trained nurse prescriber who prescribes NRT in pregnancy as a routine part of her work. Prescribing is a skill that can help overcome barriers to pregnant women accessing NRT and also enhances practice. Sue gave an example of good practice, using a case study, which highlighted the importance of adopting a holistic approach and of care being tailored to the individual patient.

Strategies for smoking cessation

Terry Lawrence - Honorary Lecturer
Birmingham University

Terry Lawrence, WM freelance public health consultant highlighted why a strategy in this area was necessary and described the strategy key components. Areas where improvements could be made were identified. For instance the need to validate smoking status in pregnancy because of the known unreliability of self-reports. The strategy could include evaluating cessation services for pregnant smokers at the end of pregnancy, at 6 months and 12 months after delivery. This may help to focus cessation efforts into helping women achieve long-term abstinence.

Evaluating services for pregnant smokers

Michelle Lee - Research Health Psychologist
Tobacco Research & Treatment Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine

On behalf of Michelle Lee, Research Health Psychologist, London Hayden McRobbie presented some preliminary findings from a recent HDA funded study as yet unpublished. The study aimed to identify examples of good practice in this difficult area and thereafter to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidance.

Evidence into practice: the role of the HDA

Julia Neall - Practice Development Officer
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, West Midlands

Julia Neall's WM HDA role has recently changed as a result of the DoH's review of its "arms length bodies". The core functions of the HDA were transferred to NICE in April. Within NICE there will be a centre for Public Health Excellence which will produce guidance in public health - the promotion of good health and the prevention of ill health for those working in the NHS, local authorities and the wider public and voluntary sector.