Smoking in pregnancy rates reach record low levels thanks to Barnsley's fantastic health partnerships

Smoking in pregnancy rates reach record low levels thanks to Barnsley’s fantastic health partnerships

The number of women smoking during pregnancy in Barnsley has fallen significantly over the last twelve months, helping us achieve our lowest levels since this data started being collected.

NHS England’s latest Smoking at Time of Delivery (SATOD) data shows that only 8% of pregnant women across Barnsley were recorded as smoking in 2024/25.

This represents a 1.7% drop over the past year, building on the great work that has significantly reduced our maternal smoking rates over the past decade, falling from 20.5% in 2014/15.

This would not have been possible without the hard work of Barnsley Hospital’s maternity team and the brilliant partnerships at the heart of the Barnsley Tobacco Control Alliance.

All pregnant smokers in Barnsley are offered support to quit as part of their maternity journey, delivered by Barnsley Hospital’s maternity stop smoking service. You can read more about the service and staying healthy during pregnancy on Barnsley Hospital’s website.

This support forms part of the wider work led by the Barnsley Tobacco Control Alliance to make smoking invisible in our borough and ensure our communities get the right support to quit.

The Alliance brings together different organisations across Barnsley to ensure we’re doing all we can to encourage and support people to quit smoking and create a healthier borough that benefits everyone.

Councillor Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities and Chair of the Barnsley Tobacco Control Alliance, said: “We’re committed to making smoking invisible in Barnsley, working closely with our partners to protect the health of our communities and ensure that local people have the right support to quit for good.

“We know the serious risks associated with smoking for both expectant mothers and their children, so it’s great to see our smoking in pregnancy rates hitting record low levels. This is fantastic news for Barnsley, especially for the babies born into smoke-free homes.

“We want to build on this by continuing to improve these figures in the future, which is why we’re committed to continually improving the support we offer to families on their maternity journey.”

Dr Richard Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer of Barnsley Hospital, said: “Barnsley Hospital’s maternity stop smoking team have worked hard to build and maintain an incentive scheme to help women stop smoking. Since April 2022, 70 women have stopped smoking until their babies are at least eight weeks old, with many more supported to stop during their pregnancy.

“The team also provides support in many other ways, including regular follow-up for women throughout their pregnancy, providing free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), offering information on smoke-free homes and cars, and carrying out home visits and supportive telephone conversations.

“Routine clinical care at Barnsley Hospital includes asking all adults and children over the age of 12 admitted to hospital whether they smoke or vape, treating those who do with NRT, specialist advice and support, helping patients recover more quickly from illness and offering a chance to go on to a smoke-free life.”

Thinking about quitting smoking?

Quitting smoking is one of the best things anyone can do for their health. We know this can be challenging, which is why NHS Yorkshire Smokefree Barnsley are here to support residents on their quitting journey. They offer expert support to quit and free nicotine replacement therapy options to anyone living or working in Barnsley.

Find out how their friendly, trained advisors can help you by visiting their website, texting ‘YSF’ to 80800 or calling 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines) or 0330 660 1166 (free from most mobiles).