About the Challenge Group

The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group is a coalition of charities, royal colleges and academic organisations committed to reducing rates of smoking in pregnancy. The Group is jointly chaired by Dr. Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of Sands, and Professor Linda Bauld of the University of Edinburgh.

When a woman smokes during pregnancy or when she is exposed to secondhand smoke, oxygen to the baby is restricted making the babies heart work faster and exposing the baby to harmful toxins. As a result, exposure to smoke in pregnancy is responsible for an increased rate of stillbirths, miscarriages and birth defects. This exacerbates existing health inequalities as women from more deprived backgrounds are more likely to smoke – and therefore smoke during pregnancy – and be exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy.

Smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk of children developing respiratory conditions; attention and hyperactivity difficulties; learning difficulties; problems of the ear, nose and throat; obesity; and diabetes. The Royal College of Physicians estimated that exposure to secondhand smoke was responsible for between 5,000 and 11,000 hospital admissions for children in 2015/16.

• Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
• Best beginnings
• Bliss
• Faculty of Public Health
• Family Nurse Partnership
• Fresh
• Institute of Health Visiting
• Lullaby Trust
• National Centre for Smoking Cessation Training
• National Children's Trust
• Royal College of General Practitioners
• Royal College of Midwives
• Royal College of Nursing
• Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
• Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• Royal Society for Public Health
• Sands
• Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre
• Tommy's
• Unite the Union
• UK Preconception Partnership