Smoking breath test for pregnant mums?

[Foogirl]

Yes, but when did the NHS ever really get on board with preventative spending?

Not sure, but their anti-smoking and obesity drives are usually to do with long-term costs, and the adverts telling you not to turn up at A&E for non-emergencies.

yes but these are less about spending money and more about preaching to people about what we're supposed to be doing. They put the prevention in the hand of the public. It's easy targeting. I'm talking more about how they can treat patients in a way that saves money in the future. One small example are the amounts of money they spend on child psychology for patients with a disability, Abby can only have access to this service when she needs it. Many patients end up with years of psychology appointments when doing some preventative work now would save extra in the future. There are examples of this right across the service.

As for A&E, just this morning there was an A&E consultant saying how things got worse after the NHS cut out of hours GP service.

 

[robinator]

Oh, I know! Our entire hospital is a smoke-free campus, and yet people always smoke out in front of the childbirth center. The gift shop does sell water, though

(responding to Dragonfly's comment)

 

[Twister]

We have designated smoking areas in most hospitals round here but you still get people standing outside the doors or even more annoyingly, a few yards away from the smoking shelter. Would it really be that hard to take a few extra steps?

The shops do tend to sell healthy options though such as salads, fruit and wraps/sandwiches as we'll as chocolate and crisps etc.

 

[Dragonfly]

I seen one of two sandwiches in shop that was it, saldy I am a coalic, No fruit and rest filled with choc and biscuits. There is a coffee shop also. Says smoke free in our hospital but ashtrays at the door. And you have to hold your breath going in as loads are at the doors smoking, horrible when you have to take out a new baby. The anti natel clinic used to be beside the outdoor smoking area and you would see preg woman in there smoking and the smell would make you ill but they moved the anti natel beside mat ward upstairs and lucky the windows dont open so you cant smell it up there. I still know people that think smoking in preg does no harm my mum is adamant it dosnt. Thats because she done it in all of hers.

 

[Piper84]

Yes, but when did the NHS ever really get on board with preventative spending?

Not sure, but their anti-smoking and obesity drives are usually to do with long-term costs, and the adverts telling you not to turn up at A&E for non-emergencies.

yes but these are less about spending money and more about preaching to people about what we're supposed to be doing. They put the prevention in the hand of the public. It's easy targeting. I'm talking more about how they can treat patients in a way that saves money in the future. One small example are the amounts of money they spend on child psychology for patients with a disability, Abby can only have access to this service when she needs it. Many patients end up with years of psychology appointments when doing some preventative work now would save extra in the future. There are examples of this right across the service.

As for A&E, just this morning there was an A&E consultant saying how things got worse after the NHS cut out of hours GP service.

Preventative medicine seems to be far more effective in a lot of areas, it's true. I'm not sure how well thought out this smoking idea is.

 

[lhancock90]

I think its going to alienate a lot of Mums who feel pressured and judged by their midwives. By all means offer help, i'm sure a smoker can be identified just by the smell but forcing it upon people isn't going to help. I personally, as a non smoker, would refuse.

 

[Fergie]

I smoked during my 1st & 2nd pregnancies. I had no support during my horrific 1st pregnancy and relied heavily on cigarettes to cope and with my 2nd i was terrified that it was gonna be a repeat of my 1st pregnancy but i did cut down because my repeated requests for help to stop were ignored by my GP and midwife.
I stopped as soon as i knew with my 3rd but i didn't stop because i failed some stupid breath test, i stopped because i had the support of my OH and my midwife who put me in touch with a stop smoking team who in turn arranged NRT for me.
Those of us who smoked through pregnancy know the risks, we're not stupid in anyway, shape or form but to be constantly picked on because of the ciggies does not help anyone.
I needed help to stop, not bullied to stop and no matter what the results of a breath test shows, that alone will not make a mum to be quit without support and backup.

 

[Fergie]

I should add our hospitals are totally smoke free areas and don't sell full fat fizzy juice .

 

[Stelly]

Our hospital doesn't allow smoking anywhere on the entire property. They have vending machines in the ER, but not in the cafeteria area. Those are the only 2 places with food at our local hospital.

 

[ILoveShoes]

It isn't a pass or fail test though, is it?
It's a test to show you how many parts per million of carbon monoxide you have in your body at the time of the test.
6ppm or below is classed as a non-smoker reading. I suppose it's just about educating people.
I think it's a good thing. It's a way of introducing the conversation. A lot of people who smoke do want help to quit, but might not know it's available or what their options are.
I'd imagine smokers would either be referred into the local stop smoking service for help, or seen by a specialist midwife.
I don't see the problem personally.
xx

 

[Foogirl]

It isn't a pass or fail test though, is it?
It's a test to show you how many parts per million of carbon monoxide you have in your body at the time of the test.
6ppm or below is classed as a non-smoker reading. I suppose it's just about educating people.
I think it's a good thing. It's a way of introducing the conversation. A lot of people who smoke do want help to quit, but might not know it's available or what their options are.
I'd imagine smokers would either be referred into the local stop smoking service for help, or seen by a specialist midwife.
I don't see the problem personally.
xx

Well its a "smoker" or "non smoker" that's what the midwife will tell from it.

And as I said, education can be given without it. The conversation is easy enough to introduce, my midwife did it simply by saying "if you are a smoker we have plenty of help available, are you interested?"

 

[bumpy_j]

I really can't see how they'd ever 'make' anyone take the test though. If I was struggling to give up, I know a high reading would have made me buck up a lot (I found quitting quite easy with nicotine gum though luckily). If the test was used in an optional manner, it would be an effective tool; there is a mindset that if you have a few a day, you're hardly going to do much damage. A reading would let them make a a more informed decision. Admittedly I don't know much about the accuracy though. I see it as pointless if it would just be used so your midwife knew you had a fag in the last hour or so.

 

[KittyVentura]

I do think it is a brilliant idea. As a non smoker I would not be even a little bit offended or feel distrusted if they asked me to take one. Not for a moment. The way I see it, we have s many checks and tests in pregnancy anyhow... What's another one?

I think people need to step away from it being a "check if you are lying" thing and more just another regular check in pregnancy, like how they check your urine. Smoking in pregnancy does bring it's own risks and this would be a way of identifying which mothers and babies might need more support/help/observations etc... Just how checking your pee can identify the same.

Xx

 

[ILoveShoes]

It isn't a pass or fail test though, is it?
It's a test to show you how many parts per million of carbon monoxide you have in your body at the time of the test.
6ppm or below is classed as a non-smoker reading. I suppose it's just about educating people.
I think it's a good thing. It's a way of introducing the conversation. A lot of people who smoke do want help to quit, but might not know it's available or what their options are.
I'd imagine smokers would either be referred into the local stop smoking service for help, or seen by a specialist midwife.
I don't see the problem personally.
xx

Well its a "smoker" or "non smoker" that's what the midwife will tell from it.

And as I said, education can be given without it. The conversation is easy enough to introduce, my midwife did it simply by saying "if you are a smoker we have plenty of help available, are you interested?"

I agree that the education can be given without it but maybe this Will encourage more people to take the education on board.
It's a well known fact that smoking during pregnancy is harmful, yet numbers of pregnant women smoking are still very high.
Maybe if someone sees they have a carbon monoxide reading of 20ppm, it Will be a wake up call and a call to action for them.
In my area, pregnant ladies who smoke are automatically referred to the stop smoking service unless they specifically opt out.
xx

 

[Foogirl]

I think people need to step away from it being a "check if you are lying" thing and more just another regular check in pregnancy, like how they check your urine. Smoking in pregnancy does bring it's own risks and this would be a way of identifying which mothers and babies might need more support/help/observations etc... Just how checking your pee can identify the same.

Xx

But they can't check your pee by asking. What's wrong with asking women if they smoke and offering the help if they want it? To do anything other than that is saying you are not being trusted to answer truthfully.

I don't believe there are many women out there who don't know the risks, nor do they need a "wake up call" That suggests huge numbers of women continue smoking at the same pre-pregnancy levels, unaware of the problems in doing so. Frankly if any pregnant woman gets to that stage and doesn't know that smoking can be harmful in pregnancy, they've not got their troubles to seek.

Most women I know of try very hard to quit during pregnancy, or at the very least cut down significantly.

It is also worth noting a lot of midwives are saying they are against this test too.

 

[Foogirl]

It's a well known fact that smoking during pregnancy is harmful, yet numbers of pregnant women smoking are still very high.

See, this is something you will read in the Daily Mail. The figures are not "very high" and the statistics range from someone who has one cigarette a week to someone who smokes 20 a day.

It also actually isn't a "well known fact" that smoking is harmful. It is well known information healthcare professionals will tell people who are pregnant. The reality is, there are not large numbers of well conducted studies which can accurately state that smoking in pregnancy causes XY or Z problem. What there are, are statistics collated and analysed which suggest there may be a correlation. Work has to be done to adjust statistics for other socio economic factors. Most people *think* smoking must be bad in pregnancy because its damaging to health in other ways, but as the body naturally protects the foetus, it is possible its not *as bad* as logic could dictate.

None of this is to say it is definitely a safe thing to do nor that women shouldn't give up, but it should also be put in to context. There are a lot of ways women fail to look after themselves in pregnancy and each of them risks harming unborn babies.

I spend a lot of time and meet a lot of mothers with premature babies. We're told that's one of the greatest risks of smoking in pregnancy. Of the many, many, many who I know. Only a couple are smokers or smoked in pregnancy.

It's one thing to decide for yourself that you don't want to smoke in your own pregnancy. It's quite another to decide that anyone who does smoke is clueless or doesn't give a crap.

 

[CeeDee]

It didn’t say what they would do if the test over the limit. Would they help them quit? What’s the point of the information? I think it would be beneficial for Life Insurance (and Health insurance) companies to use to determine rates. I’d love a discount for being a certified non-smoker.

 

[KittyVentura]

I think people need to step away from it being a "check if you are lying" thing and more just another regular check in pregnancy, like how they check your urine. Smoking in pregnancy does bring it's own risks and this would be a way of identifying which mothers and babies might need more support/help/observations etc... Just how checking your pee can identify the same.

Xx

But they can't check your pee by asking. What's wrong with asking women if they smoke and offering the help if they want it? To do anything other than that is saying you are not being trusted to answer truthfully.

I don't believe there are many women out there who don't know the risks, nor do they need a "wake up call" That suggests huge numbers of women continue smoking at the same pre-pregnancy levels, unaware of the problems in doing so. Frankly if any pregnant woman gets to that stage and doesn't know that smoking can be harmful in pregnancy, they've not got their troubles to seek.

Most women I know of try very hard to quit during pregnancy, or at the very least cut down significantly.

It is also worth noting a lot of midwives are saying they are against this test too.

I do see what you are saying, but I really don't see it as implying a woman is distrustful. Not at all. I think it could be really beneficial. Lets say a woman lives with a partner who smokes and doesn't see the risk of passive smoking. She could potentially get a higher than expected reading and through discussion would be able to identify it as passive smoke and really SEE the risk there etc. xx

 

[Pearls18]

Military get drugs tested too, whole station goes into lockdown it's a nightmare, instant dishonourable discharge if found positive. Makes sense, DH doesn't mind.

I don't know how I feel about this, I HATE smoking in pregnancy and think mothers should feel guilty for it end of, but I don't really know what the test aims to do. Either the woman already feels guilty, or she's too ignorant to fully comprehend the risks thus will this test do anything to change that? So just doesn't seem worth the time and effort tbh.

 

[Pearls18]

Just to say all tests can be refused in pregnancy, you can refuse scans, blood tests anything, some women have good reason to, women just need to know their rights.