Pregnant women get smoking advice

Women taking part will be given money off their shopping

Pregnant women in Perth and Kinross are to be offered extra help to quit smoking.

The "Give it up for Baby" scheme was piloted in parts of Perth and Rattray but has now been officially launched.

The project offers support and advice to expectant mothers - and also provides an incentive to stop.

Participants are tested weekly at a pharmacy and if their tobacco-free status is confirmed they are given money off at local supermarkets.

They are allowed to buy groceries and baby goods, but not tobacco or alcohol.

Mothers-to-be who are eligible for the scheme are identified by midwives at their first ante-natal clinic visit and recruited if they want to give up smoking.

Women who continue to smoke during their pregnancy are one of the most difficult groups to influence through health improvement initiatives Cllr Peter Barrett

They can also take part by getting in touch with their local pharmacy.

One of the women already involved in the scheme is Dawn Telfer from Perth.

She said: "When I became pregnant I really wanted to give up smoking.

"Give it up for Baby has been brilliant. It gives you the support and help you need because it's hard to give up smoking.

"I know that stopping smoking is very important for the health of my new baby and my whole family, so I'm delighted I've been able to take part.

"I've been smoke-free for a while now thanks to the help I've been given, and I'm chuffed with myself."

'Vital support'

Councillor Peter Barrett said: "Low-birth-weight babies and premature deliveries are much more common in mothers who smoke.

"Each year about 200 low birth weight babies are delivered in Tayside and the cost of each baby admitted to a special care baby unit is about £6,000 so this initiative can have an extremely important impact on children's health and antenatal care.

"Women who continue to smoke during their pregnancy are one of the most difficult groups to influence through health improvement initiatives.

"This scheme will provide them with the vital support and incentives to give up for the health of themselves and their baby."