The recently released Mothers and Babies report from NSW Health shows smoking rates among pregnant women has declined steadily each year. Between 2014 and 2016 the state-wide figure was an average of 8.8 per cent of pregnant women smoking.

NSW Health confirmed the rate of smoking during pregnancy in Queanbeyan-Palerang was 13.4 per cent of expectant mothers.

However while registering a higher than average figure, the news was not all bad for Queanbeyan-Palerang. The region experienced a reduction of almost 20 per cent of smoking during pregnancy in the previous ten years.

According to NSW Health, in 2001-2003 the average figure for pregnant women smoking was 32.8 per cent. Queanbeyan-Palerang recorded the biggest drop between 2001 and 2016 in smoking during pregnancy in the Southern Local Health District.

However the heath district recorded the third highest rate of women smoking during pregnancy among health districts throughout the state.

Southern Local Health District chief executive Andrew Newton praised the work of health staff in the region in spreading the message about the harm of smoking.

“Smoking in pregnancy increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage, giving birth prematurely, or a small and unwell baby. In the most tragic cases, these babies die during or shortly after birth,” Mr Newton said.

“We are extremely pleased with the report results and will continue to work with our staff to ensure the non-smoking message is being relayed through our antenatal programs.”

One area of concern identified in the report is the level of smoking among Indigenous women while pregnant.

While only 8.3 per cent of NSW expectant mothers reported smoking in 2016 the figure for Indigenous women was a significantly higher 41.3 per cent.

Indigenous health officer at the Queanbeyan Hospital, Skyan Fernando, said the discrepancy in figures was deeply concerning.

Ms Fernando runs a Indigenous women’s boot camp which includes education about the dangers of smoking which she said had proven very successful.

However she expressed her disappointment that funding had been cut to a number of services and programs in Queanbeyan aimed at the Indigenous community.

She said it was was crucial the support existed for Indigenous women to help lower the number of pregnant women smoking.

Mr Newton said the Southern Health District offered a number of programs to reduce smoking during pregnancy and throughout the entire population. These included Quit for New Life: Staying Smoke-free During Pregnancy and Beyond and iCanQuit.

He said the health district was currently undertaking a specialist training program for midwives to assist anti-smoking services.