§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many babies were born(a) still born and (b) premature as a result of smoking by the mother during pregnancy in 1987 and 1988;
31W(2) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the total number of (a) still births, and (b) premature births by weeks of gestation, where the mother smoked during pregnancy in 1987 and 1988.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not hold this information. Not all premature and still births in mothers who smoke can readily be attributed to maternal smoking.
§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department has on the medical effects of smoking on the health of an unborn child; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorThe Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health has found that smoking during pregnancy is a cause of low birthweight and increased perinatal mortality. The committee reported that the mean reduction in birthweight between maternal smokers and non-smokers ranges between 150 g and 250 g, and that perinatal mortality for maternal smokers is increased by about 28 per cent. Both the reduction in birthweight and the increase in perinatal mortality increase with the average number of cigarettes smoked. The committee also found that there is an association between exposure to other people's tobacco smoke and low birthweight although its interpretaton is unclear.
The Government continue their efforts to persuade all smokers, including pregnant woman, to give up the habit. The Health Education Authority's pregnancy book, which is given to every woman who is pregnant for the first time,
Table 1 AIDS cases diagnosed 1 April 1987–31 March 1988 Cumulative to 31 March 1988 April 1988–31 March 1989 Cumulative to 31 March 1989 England Northern 10 39 10 49 Yorkshire 15 36 17 53 Trent 11 28 13 41 East Anglia 5 19 7 26 North West Thames 241 691 185 876 North East Thames 111 296 116 412 South East Thames 56 139 93 232 South West Thames 33 61 13 74 Wessex 18 39 10 49 Oxford 14 30 17 47 South Western 11 29 14 43 West Midlands 9 29 12 41 Mersey 10 24 8 32 North Western 23 58 26 84 Wales 8 24 12 36
32W
Table 2 AIDS cases reported and accepted 1 April 1987–31 March 1988 Cumulative to 31 March 1988 31 1 April 1988–March 1989 Cumulative to 31 March 1989 England Northern 15 36 13 49 Yorkshire 15 24 29 53 Trent 14 26 15 41 East Anglia 14 19 7 26 North West Thames 283 621 255 876 North East Thames 131 267 145 412 South East Thames 59 125 107 232 South West Thames 37 53 21 74 Wessex 16 32 17 49 Oxford 19 25 22 47 South Western 15 25 18 43 West Midlands 10 24 17 41 advises women not to smoke during pregnancy. The teenage anti-smoking campaign, to be launched later this year, will discourage teenagers, especially girls, from taking up smoking. This campaign, aimed at the pre-childbearing years, should contribute to reducing smoking during pregnancy.