New figures reveal that the number of women in Salford smoking in pregnancy has fallen by more than half over the past decade – with the city’s Smoking at Time of Delivery (SATOD) rate falling from 15.1% in 2013/14 to 6.7% in 2023/24.

Putting that into perspective

• In 2013/14: 15.1% or 521 women were smoking at the time of delivery.

• In 2023/24: 6.7% or 218 women were smoking at the time of delivery.

That’s 295 more babies born smoke free.

Among the 10 local authorities in Greater Manchester, Salford had the 3rd lowest value. The overall average for Greater Manchester was 7.7% for 2023/24. 

“This is a real success story for Salford, but we’re not complacent,” said Councillor John Merry CBE, Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health. “We know smoking during pregnancy can have devastating consequences for babies and families. That’s why we’re continuing to push for smoke-free environments and stronger support for those who want to quit. ”

The risks of smoking in pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy is linked to a range of serious health risks, including¹:

• Low birth weight is twice as likely

• Miscarriage and stillbirth are 32% and 47% more likely respectively

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is 3 times as likely

• Childhood asthma and respiratory infections

Pregnant women’s exposure to second-hand smoke in the home also increases the risks of those listed above. In addition, second hand smoke is a risk for other children and even pets’ health. Creating smoke-free environments for example in your home and car is one of the most effective ways to protect your family.

Why it matters

A reduction in smoking when pregnant means fewer families having the stress of babies in neonatal intensive care, fewer hospital admissions for asthma and infections, better long-term health outcomes, lower NHS costs and healthier families overall.

Salford’s response to becoming Smoke-free

Salford is taking a whole-community approach to tackling smoking in pregnancy and promoting smoke-free living:

• All 60 Salford City Council-owned parks have children’s play areas displaying smoke and vape-free signage.

• Smoke-free touchlines have been introduced at Salford Community Leisure managed sports pitches to protect children during family activities.

• Community messaging is being refreshed to focus on the benefits of smoke-free homes, not just for babies but for the whole household.

Regional support making a difference

Salford’s progress is also supported by the Greater Manchester Smokefree Pregnancy programme, a pioneering initiative launched in 2018 to reduce smoking in pregnancy and tackle health inequalities across the region.

The programme offers:

• Free, personalised stop-smoking support for pregnant women and their partners

• One-to-one advice from trained stop smoking advisors and specialist midwives

• Free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)

• Regular carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring

• Incentives such as gift cards for staying smokefree

A new digital referral and support platform has also been introduced, enabling real-time tracking, automated incentive payments, and tailored support delivery. Since its launch, the programme has helped over 10,000 families across Greater Manchester to quit smoking²

Councillor Mishal Saeed, Executive Support Member for Social Care and Mental Health, also shared: “We want to celebrate the families who’ve made this change and inspire others to do the same. A smoke-free start in life is one of the best gifts we can give our children. This aligns well with one of the three shifts in the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, which aims to reach patients earlier, supporting everyone to make the healthy choice the easy choice and help prevent illness.”

Find local stop smoking support in Salford

SATOD is a key national indicator used to measure the percentage of women recorded as smokers at the time they give birth. It reflects both the prevalence of smoking among pregnant women and the effectiveness of local stop-smoking support services.