The number of smokers in England has fallen by almost two million in seven years, official figures have revealed. The smoking figures released today show that more than one in 10 women in England (10.6 per cent) smoke while they're pregnant.

Clea Harmer, chief executive of stillbirth charity Sands, said: “Today’s figures show a worrying lack of progress in supporting all women to have smoke-free pregnancies.

“Smoking is a leading cause of still birth and neonatal death and without urgent action the Government is at risk of missing not only the ambition of the Tobacco Control Plan but also its aim to halve rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths by 2025.”  Continue reading