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!

[ParsingFancy]

Out of interest Fuckwittery, what was your test result, given you commute?

(If you don't mind saying.)

[ParsingFancy]

So I wonder what sort of commute would show up?

Especially given Mumsyblouse's post of Mon 13-May-13 10:02:31: "If you do a test on a smoker, say on 10-15 a day, you'll get a score between say 10-30... If you test non-smokers who cycle on polluted roads, it comes up between 1-2 absolute max"

Or is the commute one just another lie?

[Mand1980]

I have 3 kids, 14,13 & 5. And over my eldest 2 I didnt smoke or drink I did everything by the book & over the youngest 1 I did the complete oppisite & to be quite honest, the older 2 are extremly different than the youngest at his age he is calm,laid back well behaved at home & school, only diference was birth weight big ones were 7lb13oz & 7lb6oz & youngest was 5lb15oz & he is a big 5yr old he is the same height as the average 7-8yr old. So I carnt see why they want to interfere, smoking mums have been having healthy babies for decades.

[HorryIsUpduffed]

Yes, smoking is linked with low birth weight which can cause problems. Glad he has caught up now!

[5madthings]

Re birth weight, my babies were 8lb 7oz, 9lb 3oz, 9lb 5oz, 10lb 13oz (all boys) then I had dd 8lb exactly, whether she was small because of the occasional cigarette I had when pregnant or just because she wasa girl (girls are statistically smaller at birth) and I was not as 'overdue' with her as the others. No way of knowing, she is tall for her age at 2.5. I am not proud that I smoked in oreg but having discussed it with midwives, consultant and cpn they all agreed the occasional fat and prioritizing my mental health was more important than stressing over quitting. The consultant actually joked that given the size of my previous babies having a smaller baby would be no bad thing.

[amazingmumof6]

5madthings my boys were late and over 9lbs (except ds4 who was early ELSC but still 8lb 8, if 40+ he would've been the same)

dd was also late and 8lb 3

so very similar, but I don't smoke.
interesting

[pixiehollow]

I was given a test after seeing my midwife and telling her I was a none smoker at 8 weeks they have never done this before!

[watchingitallagain]

I had my booking appointment 4 weeks ago and a carbon monoxide test was part of it. To the point that my widowed said she couldn't click through the screen on the computer without a result....!

I maintained that I didn't smoke but was told they'd know if my central heating boiler was dicky from the test. In the end I just did it. I scored 3. Apparently my boiler is probably ok.

[watchingitallagain]

A widowed is obviously a midwife

[beargrass]

No no no. Don't smoke and would refuse.

Instead of a creeping lack of consent and choice, NICE might do better to put money into things that might actually help us, such as a far less medicalised and interfering approach to birth, and help with all things post-birth such as the nightmare of BF

[PencilsInSpace]

This thread is almost 4 years old

Pregnant women who smoke find it incredibly difficult to admit to, and if they don't admit it they can't get support to quit. So, if they test everybody, they can pick up on the women who are deeply ashamed smokers and help them give their babies the best start in life, not to mention improve their own health.

Also yes it can sometimes pick up on carbon monoxide from other sources. CO is bad for the health of both mother and child, wherever it comes from. Why wouldn't you want to know that, given how quick and non-invasive the test is?

Of course you should be allowed to refuse though, informed consent to tests and treatment is a fundamental right.

[EurusHolmesViolin]

A timely reanimation though, as it's been in the news today.

www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/26/nhs-test-all-pregnant-women-for-smoking-nice-rcm

Shit idea then, still a shit idea now.