SMOKING rates among pregnant women in the North-East have fallen by nearly a third over the last six years thanks to a successful health initiative.

Every woman in the North-East still smoking when they see a midwife is now given information about risks to their unborn baby and put in contact with support to quit.

The so-called babyClear approach, which launched in 2012, has coincided with a gradual fall in the percentage of women smoking at the time they give birth, down from 22.2 per cent in 2009/10 to 15.6 per cent in the first quarter of this year.

That figure is the lowest on record, although the North-East still has a higher proportion of smokers in this category than any other area in the country.

BabyClear has been rolled out by the group Fresh, along with hospital foundation trusts and stop smoking services.

Women receive carbon monoxide monitoring as part of routine tests once they are eight weeks into their pregnancy and if they are considered high they are referring to stop smoking services.

Those still smoking at 12 weeks receive a hard hitting, factual talk from their midwife with the use of software to show the potential harm to an unborn baby.

Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risks of miscarriage and stillbirth, or having a premature baby who needs lots of medical attention.

A report by the Royal College of Physicians in 2011 found maternal smoking caused the equivalent of 360 miscarriages, 22 stillbirth and sudden infant deaths and 160 premature births each year in the North-East.

Following babyClear's launch in 2012, around 450 midwifery staff and 150 stop smoking service advisers have received training.

Feedback from wards has found women come to expect smoking being raised as an issue and it does not affect the positive relationship they have with their midwife.

Grace Wali, public health improvement manager for County Durham’s stop smoking service, Solutions4 Health, said: “We are seeing more women who have taken the decision to quit smoking for their unborn baby.

“The bond between mum and midwife is a really important one and midwives are probably the most trusted source of health information for women during those months when they are carrying the baby.

“Women also find regular carbon monoxide monitoring very motivational in seeing how far they have made progress.”

Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh, added: "The North-East has seen the largest falls in smoking in England and we still have lots to do before we are down to the national average or lower for pregnancy, but we are moving in the right direction.”