The state is sending over half-a-million dollars to seven agencies who’ve pledged to encourage local pregnant women who smoke to quit. Cathy Calloway of the Iowa Department of Health says it’ll spread the word about the dangers of smoking. Calloway says smoking is harmful to a woman’s unborn child.The babies of smokers are often born prematurely. The University of Iowa will use its grant to start a statewide “quit” line to help any pregnant woman who wants help to snuff out her smoking habit. The other six agencies who’ll split the roughly 537-thousand dollars are Community and Family Resources in Fort Dodge; Siouxland Human Investment Partnership in Sioux City; North Iowa Community Action Organization in Mason City; Hillcrest Family Services in Dubuque; Greenbelt Home Care in Eldora; and Allen Memorial Hospital’s Women’s Health Center in Waterloo.