Pregnant women should take 'smoking test': what do you think?

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

There are reports in a couple of papers today (here and here - paywall) that NICE has recommended that all pregnant women be given a carbon monoxide test by their midwife in early pregnancy - effectively, a smoking test. If they test positive, the idea is that the midwife will signpost them to NHS smoking cessation services. The Royal College of Midwives is quoted as saying that they think the idea will adversely affect the relationship between women and their midwives.

We're getting asked what you all think about this - so do please let us know!

I understand that Offred but my point was how can you allow yourself to risk harming your baby? When I got my BFP my only thought was "oh my god, what have I done to my baby?" I'm 18 years old and as you can imagine I had been drinking regularly (more often than I'm proud of - verging on an alcohol addiction), chain smoking and I even tried weed in the two months I was pregnant without knowing it. I just don't understand mums-to-be who can drink and smoke "in moderation" without a second thought to how much it could possibly be harming their little one.

Because, Flutterby, women have freedom of choice and autonomy over their own bodies.

And to do anything which diminishes this is starting down a dangerous road that I for one am anything but comfortable with.

Getting into a car, crossing the road, eating, owning a cat, all risk harm to the baby. You cannot exclude the possibility of risk in pregnancy and whilst I don't smoke having the occasional cigarette during pregnancy is not a very significant or worrying risk to the baby.

And yes, cutting down does help but not to the extent you think. As a smoker, your body is extremely sensitive to the first doses of nicotine in the day. The nicotine narrows mum's blood vessels all around her body, including the ones in the umbilical cord, the baby's only source of oxygen. Like trying to breathe through a straw. Then, the red blood cells that are supposed to carry oxygen to your baby pick up carbon monoxide instead, meaning that the straw that baby is already breathing through isn't even holding as much oxygen as it should.

Cutting down helps, but the first doses of nicotine that mum inhales still do this to her baby.

It is obviously better if you don't smoke or drink or eat cheese or cross the road or get in a car at all but as the pregnant person you have to decide for yourself what risks you are going to accept and how you are going to deal with them. I don't think it should be as black and white as smoker=naughty. Women who smoke would benefit from cutting down or giving up undoubtedly but they need support not judgement.

Because 'mum' isn't a human being with her own identity. She's just 'mum'.

Posted that before I saw previous posts.

You can't possibly exclude risk in pregnancy but there are some things that are unavoidable - like the things you listed. If you can cut down risk to your baby by stopping smoking then I would wonder why you haven't done so already.

And Frebbie, I agree with you but when a woman is pregnant it's not only her body she's responsible for. I think that would mean taking a bit more care over it.

I will say it again the vast majority of babies born to women who are classified as smokers because they have smoked in pregnancy are fine. This means women are already behaving in a way that doesn't pose a risk to their babies without being tested.

Expat, I didn't say that anywhere. I just think as a mum, quitting the cigarettes would be a small price to pay for the privilege of bringing a child into the world.

Where are you getting your statistics Offred? I would love to read them. The majority may be "unharmed" (which I find doubtful) but there's that minority you speak of that will be harmed and I don't understand how anyone could ethically risk that.

De-personalising all women to 'Mum' and you can treat them as incubators on legs. That's what is already being done in the system, women are people not just 'Mum'.

And no, I never smoked whilst TTC or pregnant. But I'd tell anyone who tried to coerce me into this test where to go in no uncertain terms because it presumes I am a liar.

I get that. But while a woman is pregnant I think that she should take the best care of herself possible and I don't see why she wouldn't.

I took the test. I was asked to take it to check my CO2 levels. I don't see a problem with that.

' But while a woman is pregnant I think that she should take the best care of herself possible and I don't see why she wouldn't.'

Because she has addiction problems, because she doesn't have access to education or resources. Pressuring her into senseless tests that presume she's also a liar help no one.

So, Futterby, you never crossed a road, got in a car, or used public transport, or any of the millions of other things that have a risk to the baby when you were pregnant?

So get help with them. Don't just continue to harm your baby.

Frebbie, like I said, some things are unavoidable. Smoking is not one of them.

Futterby - it is just a logical fact that if 1 in 5 pregnant women smoke then most of their babies are ok.

No-one is trying to argue in favour of smoking, just for a sensible and supportive approach not this policing one.

Where are your statistics coming from? Because I'm inclined to disbelieve them without proof.

Smoking is a recognised addiction. It is physically addictive, that fact that there is treatment available on the NHS should indicate how difficult it is to quit and I don't think it is particularly difficult to imagine that women who have other complex needs might not be able to also quit and that they could do without your smug judgement of them. It is great that you managed to give up completely though, well done for that, just please think a little about other people who might not be so fortunate.

m.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17056866 that's a better and more recent breakdown of the figures.

There is treatment available on the NHS... it appears that you are rather uneducated on the subject. I do understand that some women will not be able to quit but I also believe that more expectant mothers should make the effort.

That article just shows the statistics of mothers who smoked, not the percentage of babies harmed by it.

What am I uneducated about exactly? You want me to agree that even smoking one cigarette a month in pregnancy makes you a terrible selfish mother? Well I hope you don't live in london or another polluted inner city then because just breathing is a risk.

Flutterby - there isn't a simple solution. What will this notion of NICE's achieve that can't be achieved already?