The children of the future are more likely to be breathing cleaner air after a rise in the number of pregnant women in Bury quitting smoking.

Between July and September this year, 13.2 per cent of pregnant women were recorded as being smokers when their babies were delivered.

This accounted for 80 out of the 607 deliveries during that period — a drop of more than 3 per cent over the same period in 2012 when 16.4 per cent of women giving birth were still smokers.

Health experts warn that cigarettes can be extremely harmful to foetuses as they restrict the flow of vital oxygen required to develop properly.

Bury’s director of public health, Lesley Jones, said that the figures were good news for Bury and generations of families to come.

She said: “Stopping smoking has immediate benefits for both the mum and the baby.

“The mother is likely to have a healthier pregnancy and the baby is less likely to be born prematurely or underweight.

“The baby is also less likely to suffer from problems such as asthma in later life.”

She added: “There is a lot of support available for pregnant women who would like to quit.

“They can receive advice from their midwife, GP, many pharmacies and from the Bury Stop Smoking Service. The support is free and they will also be able to receive a prescription or a voucher for products such as gum and patches to help.”

Maternity services and children’s centres have also been involved in publicising the harm that second-hand smoke causes to the unborn child. For more information call the Bury Stop Smoking Service on 0845 223 9001.