March 2011
Frankston Hospital midwives
Lara Watkins and Joanne Courtney, Women’s Services Nurse Unit Associate
Manager Anne Holst, midwife Michele Ward, Nurse Unit Manager Della Attwood and
midwife Heather Prout.
Mums-to-be get Quit message
‘The hospital and its dedicated
team of midwives should be congratulated for trying to help so many pregnant
women stop smoking or cut back on the amount they smoke,’ said Quit pregnancy
project officer Laura Zarpellon.
‘Smoking during pregnancy
increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), miscarriage and
stillbirth.
‘Quitting is the best thing
pregnant women can do for their own health and that of their baby.’
Under the program, women
attending routine antenatal clinics who identify themselves as smokers are
provided with smoking cessation advice and referred to the Quitline.
Quitline counsellors then ring
the women to offer ongoing support.
Manager of Women’s Services at
Frankston Hospital Della Attwood said it was fantastic to be involved in the
program.
‘Not all the women we refer to
the Quitline will quit smoking but if we can at least get them thinking about
their smoking or making a quit attempt, that’s a win for us.
‘It means they’re closer to quitting for good.’
