Concerns have been raised about the "deeply shocking" number of Bradford women smoking during the final stages of pregnancy.

Today, an MP called for a fresh multi-lingual awareness campaign after new figures revealed that in some areas of Bradford almost one in five mums smoke when heavily pregnant.

The data shows that 215 pregnant women – or 19.2 per cent – in the Bingley, Shipley, Saltaire, Heaton, and Tong areas still classed themselves as smokers at the time of giving birth in the last three months of last year.

That gives the Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area the highest rate of smoking mums-to-be in the county, above Wakefield at 18.8 per cent and Calderdale at 14.4 per cent.

The rate is also far higher than the West Yorkshire average of 13.2 per cent and national average of 11.4 per cent.

The Bradford Districts figure has increased by 1.6 per cent on the equivalent figures for July to September last year.

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The hike has led to Respect Bradford West MP George Galloway calling for more promotion of the obvious health risks.

His spokesman said: "The figures are deeply shocking, and somewhat surprising given that the risks of smoking in pregnancy are so well-known.

"You have to ask whether the message has been reinforced enough recently.

"There clearly needs to be more promotion in an attempt to redress this, in a range of ways and different languages."

Bradford East Liberal Democrat MP David Ward agreed.

"There is always more that can be done, and it is down to individual mothers understanding the impact that smoking not only has on the child at birth, but throughout their life," he said.

"We know the damage it does, and children who are behind at birth often never catch up in terms of their health and life chances.

"We need to ensure the appropriate advice is given, as it's a child protection issue as much as anything."

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The Health and Social Care Information Centre figures also show an increase in smoking pregnant women in the Bradford City CCG area, which covers the city centre. There, the rate has increased from 8.2 per cent between July and September last year, to 10.5 per cent between October and December 2014 – 61 out of 582 mothers classed themselves as smokers when giving birth in the last three months of the year.

In the Airedale, Wharfedale, and Craven CCG, the figure has dropped from 14.9 per cent to 11.1 per cent over the same time period, equating to 46 out of 432 expectant mothers.

Dr Shirley Brierley, public health consultant for Bradford Council, said the authority worked with local GPs, hospitals, children's centres, and other partners to provide stop smoking support to women prior to, or during, pregnancy.

"We are aware of the difference in the rates of women smoking at the time of delivery across the district, and target support and resources in areas with higher smoking rates," she said.

"Midwives are key to helping pregnant women quit smoking and, at their first appointment, all women are asked about their smoking status and a carbon monoxide screening is carried out.

"If you’re planning on having a baby, the sooner you stop smoking the better."

Rosemary Dodds, senior policy adviser at NCT, the UK’s largest parenting charity, added: "Although it’s hard to stop smoking, protecting babies from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give them a healthy start in life.

"Women can ask their midwives about help available locally to quit smoking while pregnant, including the local NHS Stop Smoking Service.

"The good news is that as soon as you stop, both you and your baby will be better off straight away."

Nationally, overall figures for the number of women smoking during pregnancy dropped to an eight-year low in June last year, but experts warned more still needed to be done to reach a national ambition of bringing the rate down to 11 per cent or less by the end of 2015.