Welcome to this training module on delivering very brief advice on smoking (VBA) to pregnant women, including carbon monoxide (CO) screening. 

Smoking in pregnancy poses significant health risks to the mother and to the baby. VBA is a proven intervention to trigger quit attempts that has the potential to improve the health and save the lives of both mother and baby. 

All staff coming into contact with pregnant women have a role to play, mainly through triggering quit attempts by delivering very brief advice on smoking.

This course is aimed at helping members of the midwifery team to deliver VBA on smoking to women and families.

Study time: 1 hour

Original content: June 2016
Updated: August 2018
Updated: May 2022

Review: 2025