All-female indigenous rugby league team backs Quit for New Life in light of startling figures

A TEAM of female rugby league players are tackling the issue of smoking among pregnant indigenous women.

The shocking number of indigenous women who smoke while pregnant has urged an all-female rugby team to help make a difference.

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Female rugby league players from the Mt Druitt area are tackling the issue of smoking among pregnant indigenous women.

Shocked by the number of expectant Aboriginal mothers puffing on cigarettes in western Sydney — almost one in two — the Red belly Blacks team joined Western Sydney Local Health District’s Quit for New Life initiative.

Sporting the campaign’s logo at the recent Koori Knockout, the team spoke to local women at the carnival and prior training sessions about the importance of health.

“We got involved to get the message out, to reach out to young mums and people trying to quit smoking,” team manager Jenny Murray, of Mt Druitt, said.

“Being an all-female footy team the girls related to (one another), they were sitting back yarning and encouraging each other,” she said.

Jenny Murray (front) and the Red Belly Blacks team, some of whom are young mothers.

Ms Murray, a nursing student, said the team was passionate as a few players are already mothers.

It was also close to home for the manager, who quit smoking eight years ago.

Ms Murray said she wanted to keep the conversation going to “break that cycle within my people and our community”.

Almost one-third of indigenous mothers at Blacktown Hospital smoke during their pregnancy. In 2015 almost 45 per cent of Aboriginal mums-to-be smoked, while the rate for non-indigenous mums was just seven per cent.

The Quit for New Life program offers pregnant and postnatal Aboriginal women counselling and free nociotine replacements.

Smokine is banned at Blacktown Hospital despite the significant number of its expectant indigenous mothers who still smoke.

It is accessible at various places including Mt Druitt Hospital’s Aboriginal Health Unit, the Community Health Centre and Blacktown Hospital’s antenatal clinic.

WSLHD Population Health deputy director Christine Newman said in a statement tobacco was still the “biggest killer” in Australia and the prevalence is “significantly higher” in the indigenous community.

“Smoking while pregnant or exposure to smoke ... contributes to an increased risk of complications such as spontaneous abortion, labour complications, still birth, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome,” she said.