Britain Mulls Testing Expectant Mothers for Smoking

All pregnant women should be tested for carbon-monoxide levels as part of their pre-natal evaluation, according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the United Kingdom’s main body for developing clinical guidelines, the BBC reported June 24. 

The test would reveal nicotine exposure — passive or active — for all mothers-to-be. “During pregnancy, smoking puts the health of the women and her unborn baby at great risk both in the short and long-term,” said Mike Kelly, one of NICE’s directors. 

The proposal received tentative support from the Royal College of Midwives, though a spokesperson expressed concern that women might be made to feel “guilty” about their habit. 

“This isn’t to penalize them if they have been smoking, but instead will be a useful way to show women that both smoking and passive smoking can lead to having high levels of carbon monoxide in their systems,” replied Kelly.