Shaming pregnant women for smoking and drinking 'can prevent' them stopping

A Cardiff University study says shaming pregnant women who smoke or drink alcohol can lead them to consume at home rather than seek the support they need to stop.

The women also reported hiding smoking from their midwives and partners, with some revealing that partners were very anti-smoking and highly critical of them.

Participants who drank or smoked also reported awkward relationships with midwives and other health professionals, including getting health advice in a judgemental tone, which made them less likely to seek advice and support.

Many of the participants viewed smoking in private as an acceptable thing for a pregnant woman to do. This was in contrast to their views on smoking in public, which was viewed as inappropriate.

Some who had smoked during pregnancy claimed they would still judge another pregnant women who smoked in public.

Condemnation of those who smoked in public during pregnancy was not restricted to cigarettes; one e-cigarette user also experienced judgement from strangers.