Nearly twice as many expectant mothers in Orange smoke during pregnancy compared to the NSW average.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The alarming statistic, from the Primary Health Network's latest Orange LGA Snapshot (2016-2018) showed about one-in-six pregnant women (17 percent) in Orange continued to light up.
Across NSW the average is nine percent, or about one in every 11 women.
Byng Street GP Dr David Howe described the one-in-six figure as "a damning statistic".
"It's known that country areas tend to have higher rates of smoking and obesity, but double the state average is quite surprising," he said.
Dr Howe said it was important not to demonise smokers, including those who smoke during pregnancy.
"It is an illness, it is addictive," he said.
"It's easy to look at a person - let alone a pregnant person - and say it's disgusting, but they probably have a physical need, and it's probably a long-term issue."
He disagreed with the anti-smoking strategy of endlessly raising taxes on tobacco products in the hope it would drive people to quit.
"You can only raise taxes to a certain point, and then what happens is that people stop feeding their children, or they go without basic needs, or even vital needs.
"It can end up with people neglecting their own family."
He said a wider variety of quit smoking aids should be on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, along with affordable access to treatments such as hypnosis and psychological counselling.
And he urged for more education to inform pregnant women in the Orange LGA about the impact of smoking on their baby, and the help that was available.
Among the impacts, Dr Howe said, were an increase the chance of miscarriage, premature labour and birth defects.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Send us a letter to the editor using the form below ...