Pregnant mums given money incentive from NHS to help stop smoking

New and expectant mothers spoke to ITV Granada Reports correspondent Andy Bonner about the scheme which is helping them to stop smoking

A scheme to stop pregnant women smoking is helping more new mums than ever - after the NHS began paying some to encourage them to quit.

Mums-to-be who pass regular check-ups can earn £20 a month for the duration of their pregnancy, which the health service says saves it money in the long run.

Expectant women are offered less harmful vapes or nicotine replacement therapy to help them quit alongside regular support either at home or in the community.

"It's a hard habit to break," expectant mother Marina Durbano said. "When you have the support of people that understand what you're going through, it doesn't feel like a box ticking appointment.

"And then she leaves a little message saying, 'you're a star, you're doing amazing', and when you're pregnant, trust me, that counts every little bit.

"And then you have the vouchers at the end of that, which are great."

New mum Gemma Carrigher, who has a nine-month-old named George, says the support makes all the difference.

"It just helps a little bit more having someone to support you to make sure that you're doing it as well," she said.

"Because it's not just for you doing it for, you do it for your baby as well. So it makes a huge difference, you're becoming a non smoker to have a non smoking baby."

Expectant mother Marina Durbano says the support of others is what helps when it comes to giving up smoking

Alysha Lepinnet, new mum to son Tarik, successfully used the scheme to stop her smoking habit. She added: "You got £20 every month if you passed not smoking.

"It just helped me out because I came out of work in April so I was able to buy things for the baby."

She says she is already feeling the benefits both in terms of her health and financially.

"100% I feel better for it," she said. "Obviously the money, not buying all the buying the cigarettes, you're saving, then obviously he's just getting more money saved up for him so he's got a better future."

The scheme - part of a national programme launched 12 months ago - is based on efforts in Greater Manchester where the proportion of women smoking at birth fell by 40%.

It has led to more than 6,000 additional babies being born smoke-free since 2018.

The NHS says stopping smoking will help both mum and baby immediately, with the effects will be long-lasting.

It said complications in pregnancy and birth will be reduced, while babies are less likely to be born too early or under weight.

There is also less chance of sudden infant death syndrome or cot death.

Alexa, who has worked on the scheme in Bolton for 18 months, said it is making a big difference by reducing the number of poorly babies needing care.

"Financially, think about those babies," she said. "We have saved babies lives that we've eliminated and removed from going into neonatal unit and having that extra care born premature.

"So yeah, financially, we're massively saving the NHS."

Professor Jamie Waterall, Deputy Chief Public Nurse for England, said schemes like this one are "highly effective".

"The evidence tells us that they're effective and they actually save money," he said.

"Given that smoking is the biggest cause of preventable death in ill health in the country, we have to take action."

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