Baltimore aims to stop smoking around pregnant women and babies

In the continued effort to reduce infant mortality in Baltimore, health officials and the Family League of Baltimore City have launched an effort to reduce secondhand smoke near babies andpregnantwomen.

The campaign, called "Just Hold Off," is the second phase of theB'more for Healthy Babiesprogram. The first phase, launched in August 2010, focused on safe sleep: Babies should sleep alone, on their backs in a crib.

Officials are urging smokers to back away from pregnant women and babies in the home, vehicles, bus shelters and elsewhere. Health officials point to studies that show a link between fetal exposure to smoke and premature and underweight babies, as well as increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. An analysis of Baltimore's infant mortality data showed babies exposed to smoke at home were more likely to die of a sleep-related death.