'Smoking tests' for mothers-to-be

Pregnant women will have breath tests to check the effect smoking is having on the health of them and their babies.

Midwives in North Warwickshire will now test women's carbon monoxide levels, Warwickshire Primary Care Trust said.

It said the number of pregnant women who smoked in the north of the county was "higher than the national average".

High levels of the chemical, caused by faulty boilers and also found in smoky areas, can harm a baby's development and cause miscarriage, the trust added.

'Healthy start'

Women who smoke have a 26% increased risk of having a miscarriage or stillbirth, the trust said.

Warwickshire PCT said if a breath test showed a woman had harmful levels of carbon monoxide in her body it would offer her support in giving up smoking or making her home smoke-free.

Pregnant women may also be told how they can have household appliances checked for carbon monoxide leaks.

Jane Wright, Warwickshire PCT's stop smoking service manager, said: "The test is a way to help mothers do all they can to ensure a healthy start in life for their baby."

The trust said stopping smoking during pregnancy could also reduce the risk of premature birth, neonatal illness and ectopic pregnancy.