THE Friends of St Mary’s Hospital are helping to encourage smoke-free pregnancies by purchasing breath Carbon Monoxide (CO) monitors and testers.

More than £3,600 has been spent on 20 micro smokerlyzers — monitors which measure the small amounts of CO in exhaled breath.

Elinor Jenkins, of reducing smoking pregnancy support, said: "Around 15 per cent of pregnant women smoke. It is a significant health risk for these women and unborn babies.

"It increases the risk of stillbirth, premature labour, miscarriage, and slowed foetal growth."

CO levels are raised in smokers, with the monitors used to assess these levels in pregnant women when they are booked in.

Certain CO levels can indicate exposure to cigarette smoke or to environmental carbon monoxide.

The readings can then support smoking cessation and/or health messages.