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Maternal Smoking Messages a Focus at Waikato Hospital
Maternal Smoking Messages a Focus at Waikato Hospital
Waikato Hospital will actively promote the message for pregnant mums to quit smoking starting from Monday.
A new coordinating group of staff – public health doctors, nurses, midwives, Maori support staff and managers – will work together to get the message across in a supportive but firm way.
A focus will be asking pregnant mums to think about quitting in October when the national Stoptober campaign will offer encouragement and support for all smokers to sign up and quit.
Local initiatives include five public promotions in the Level B2 foyer of the hospital’s Elizabeth Rothwell Building on Pembroke Street, with giveaways, snacks and information stalls. Free carbon dioxide breath testing will be available, and smoking cessation staff will be on hand for advice and support.
Staff will challenge in a positive way those people
smoking outside the building to make sure they realise the
impact of their habit on a baby’s health.
“The
evidence is very clear that maternal smoking puts babies at
risk in a whole range of ways, from low weight at birth to
higher rates of stillbirth and SUDI (“cot death”),
respiratory distress and asthma in later life,” says
charge midwife manager of Women’s Health Assessment Unit
Rachael Kingsbury
(photo).
[cid:image009.jpg@01CFC85E.D87B3D30]“Not only that, but the mum is at more risk of miscarriage, difficulties in childbirth, and of course longer term illnesses like cancer.
“A Smokefree pregnancy is one of the best ways to promote a healthy pregnancy and baby," she says.
Rachael’s unit has put its hand up to lead the
charge for promoting smokefree pregnancies in Waikato
Hospital as part of Waikato DHB’s Maternity Quality and
Safety Programme which has a focus on reducing maternal
smoking rates.
Waikato midwives working in the community
will offer support to women when they first find out they
are pregnant. To complement this, all women’s health
services in Elizabeth Rothwell Building will offer support
and encourage women to be smokefree during their stay at
Waikato Hospital.
“It won’t happen overnight, but we
will make a concerted effort to inform and support the
pregnant mums who come through our doors – and the
families and friends who are part of their
lives.
“Together we can make a real difference for the
mums and their babies,” says Rachael.
Dates and times for the public foyer sessions at Level B2, Elizabeth Rothwell Building, Waikato Hospital (entrance from Pembroke Street)
Monday 8 September 11am to 1pm
Tuesday 16
September 11am to 1pm
Wednesday 24 September 11am to
1pm
Thursday 2 October 11am to 1pm
Friday 3 October
11am to
1pm
ends
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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