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20/08/2015

Rate Of Stillbirth Falls Since Smoking Ban Introduced

New research has revealed that the number of stillbirths in England has fallen since the introduction of the smoking ban.

The study, carried out by scientists at the University of Edinburgh and Glasgow, Imperial College London, the Erasmus University Medical Centre and Maastricht University in the Netherlands, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in the US. Their findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The researchers looked at data on more than 10 million births in England between 1995 and 2011. Almost 1,500 stillbirths and newborn deaths were averted in the first four years after the law was introduced. Since the smoking ban was implemented in July 2007, the rate of stillbirths has dropped by almost 8%, the researchers added.

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They also looked at the impact of the smoking ban on the number of babies born with a low birth weight. This is linked to health complications in later life, such as heart disease and diabetes. It was found that more than 5,000 fewer babies were born with a low birth weight of less than 2.5kg.

The findings support the growing evidence that anti-smoking laws have had significant benefits for infant and child health, but this is the first study to demonstrate how smoke-free legislation is helping to reduce the risk of babies dying before or shortly after birth.

Dr Jasper Been, Honorary Research Fellow, Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, said: "Currently, only around 18% of the world's population is protected by comprehensive smoke-free laws. Accelerated action to implement smoking bans in the many countries yet to do so is likely to save considerable numbers of young lives and bring a healthier future for our unborn children."

Professor Aziz Sheikh, Co-Director of Centre for Medical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, added: "This study is further evidence of the potential power of smoke-free legislation to protect present and future generations from the devastating health consequences of smoking and second hand exposure to tobacco smoke."

(JP/MH)

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"New research has revealed that the number of stillbirths in England has fallen since the introduction of the smoking ban."