UHL is using World No Tobacco Day to help pregnant women stop smoking.
A new collaboration between the hospital and the HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare is launching today to mark the occasion.
The new integrated Stop Smoking service for pregnant will be based at the University Maternity Hospital Limerick.
This new dedicated service is being described as a ‘gateway’ for pregnant women to the HSE Quit Mid-West service.
It is free and available across Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary where almost 5,000 women access antenatal services each year.
Almost 30 medical and midwifery staff have been trained to offer advice as well as a carbon monoxide test and a referral to services in their communities.
It is estimated that the initiative has the potential to support 400-500 pregnant women to quit smoking every year.
Eileen Ronan, Director of Midwifery, at UHL says early interventions around tobacco use with pregnant women who smoke can result in reduced risks of complications in pregnancy and birth.
Babies are less likely to be born prematurely or to face the additional breathing, feeding and health problems and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome is reduced.
Should you or anyone you know wish to avail of this free HSE service or learn more, call 065-6865841 to speak with one of the team. Further information is also available from the HSE website.
