Aussie TV star busted smoking while pregnant

An Aussie TV personality has raised the issue of smoking while pregnant.Photo / Thinkstock

An Australian women's magazine has shown no mercy to popular Australian TV personality, Chrissie Swan, and will publish photos of her smoking while pregnant.

Swan broke down on radio on Wednesday morning after declaring she had been smoking in private while pregnant with her third child, which is due in March.

You can watch Chrssie Swan's tearful confession here.

She was forced to out herself after being snapped in the car puffing on a cigarette by a paparazzo.

The photos were shopped around and Woman's Day has bought the rights.

It's been reported the glossy magazine paid as much as $55,000 for the series of photographs although that has not been confirmed.

There were also other reports that Swan was in a bidding war with Woman's Day to stop the photos being published.

Woman's Day editor Fiona Connolly said Swan has now said she is pleased the photos were taken as it brings to light the seriousness of smoking during pregnancy.

"Woman's Day will publish the photos of Chrissie Swan that are currently dividing the nation,'' Connolly said in a statement.

"Chrissie herself has admitted how grateful she is the photos were taken as they not only stopped her smoking but have sparked one of the most significant debates for women's health in years.''

Swan told her listeners on Melbourne's Mix 101.1 on Wednesday that she feels terrible and "racked with guilt''.

"I begged the photographers not to run the story because I know how bad it looks,'' she said.

"I also told them it was a deeply shameful secret.''

Swan's admission has opened a can of worms on privacy issues and raised the health concerns of women smoking during pregnancy.

It's not the first time Swan has sparked fierce debate about parenting - last July photos of her children prompted criticism about child obesity.

- AAP