Fewer mothers-to-be in Telford now smoke

According to the region's health and wellbeing strategy, which covers the next five years, the number of 11 to 15-year-olds who smoke has also fallen and is currently below four per cent.

However, two in 10 adults (around 27,000 people) in Telford and Wrekin still smoke and the rates of hospital admissions and numbers of early deaths of people aged under 75 remain worse than average.

The figures were revealed at a meeting of Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on Tuesday.

Board members also heard that over the last 18 months there had been a significant improvement in the amount of woman not smoking while pregnant.

In 2014 the borough was named and shamed as one of the worst areas in the UK for women smoking during pregnancy.

David Evans, chief officer for Telford and Wrekin CCG, said 18 per cent of pregnant woman smoke now instead of 21 per cent.

He added: "We have seen a considerable downward trend in smoking in pregnancy which is great.

"However, we are still way off the national target of 12 per cent but are much closer.

"A lot of work has gone into reducing the figure and continues to do so."

Health officials say smoking is the single biggest risk to a healthy pregnancy.

According to medical experts, smoking during pregnancy increases the chances of abnormal foetal growth, which in turns raises the risk of a baby having health problems, or of a baby being stillborn.

In a report discussed at the meeting it said: "While levels of smoking still continue to fall, the numbers of adults and children who are overweight or obese are increasing and the majority of us do not take enough exercise.

"The levels of people who drink too much alcohol is also of concern. A combination of unhealthy lifestyle choices has an even bigger effect.

"Middle-aged people who smoke, drink too much, eat a poor diet and take too little exercise are four times more likely to die in their next decade compared to people leading healthier lifestyles."