A study has been able to find that unborn babies are being put at great risk by their smoking moms across Lothians.

The British Medical Association in Edinburgh found that although levels of smoking in pregnant women had declined, almost 20% of the smoking moms continued to smoke while being pregnant.

The organization desired to make use of the upcoming National No Smoking Day to demand from expectant mothers not to smoke, by reminding them about the risks that are posed for the baby, which includes increased possibility of cot death and untimely birth.

Deputy Chairwoman of the BMA in Scotland, Dr. Sally Winning, said that almost one in five women smoke while they are expecting a child and, even though this is an improvement on preceding years, it shows the lack of knowledge amongst Scot women regarding the health risks of smoking, not only to their own body system but also to their unborn babies.

If a women smokes while she is pregnant, it can have long-term effects upon the health of a baby. Maternal smoking in pregnancy is a cause of low birth weight in babies and has also been associated with cot death.