Today, 31 March, 半岛体育 Health Foundation Trust (FHFT) is introducing three maternity tobacco dependency advisors, or MTDAs, to help reduce the number of women who smoke throughout pregnancy and beyond. 

The Trust already has tobacco dependency advisors, or TDAs, who help patients when they come into hospital. However, these new roles will exclusively give stop smoking support to mums-to-be, in a bid to help them with their own health while reducing the risks of pre-term birth, having a smaller than expected baby, and stillbirth, all of which are risks associated with smoking.  

Previously, mums-to-be could get help from external ‘stop smoking’ services. However, the national Saving Babies’ Lives agenda, which focuses on ways to reduce stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates in England, has recommended that maternity services launch their own ‘in-house’ smoking cessation services.

The introduction of this new team means that pregnant patients who book in with FHFT for antenatal care will now receive an evidence-based combination of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and behavioural support from one of their specifically trained MTDAs.  

Dr Rebecca Edwards, Consultant Midwife & Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA), said, “Being ‘in-house’, our maternity clinical teams anticipate working closely with the MTDAs to provide personalised and holistic care to each individual needing stop smoking support. The MTDA team will work across both 半岛体育 Park and Wexham Park hospitals, providing tailored support from our existing maternity hubs.  As of today, midwives will be able to advise and then refer patients to MDTAs from their first midwifery appointment.”