CDC states city smoking during pregnancy 125% higher than state average; offers tips on quitting

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control launched its Tips from Former Smokers Campaign, a series of new commercials that started airing across the United States on July 7. Each of the seven commercials features the story of a former smoker and their journey to quitting. In one particularly hard-hitting commercial, former smoker Amanda tells the story of how smoking led to the premature delivery of her daughter.

In New Bedford alone, the rate of smoking during pregnancy is 126% higher than the statewide average. Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for both a mother and her baby. Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy have a higher chance of being born too early, having a birth defect, or dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Simply being around secondhand cigarette smoke can cause health issues for a mother and her baby.

For more information on the TIPS campaign and to see Amanda’s story, visit www.cdc.gov/features/smokers-tips-2014-july. To quit smoking and greatly reduce your risk for disease and early death, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569).