Drugs, Alcohol, and Pregnancy

Drug addiction is a very serious matter. Especially while being pregnant. You may not know what the effects of drugs can do to your body. Not only yours but the developing body of your unborn child. Even if you don't consider yourself addicted but still use occasionally this information applies to you. It is never alright at anytime during your pregnancy to use drugs. Your child is a very delicate vessel and needs love and care. That means taking care of you. Your baby depends on your blood supply and nutrients to develop maturely. When you inhale, inject, or put any kind of foreign substance into your body it is going to your fetus.

The drugs cross to the placenta and can cause placental abruption. This means that the placenta detaches from the uterine wall and can cause severe bleeding. It can cause your child to be born prematurely and can even cause it's death. Not to mention it may cause yours. In some cases mothers who have used drugs have given birth to brain dead infants. The drugs will also cause your child to have stunted growth, birth defects, mental retardation, behavioral problems, and may cause addiction. Addiction is a very serious matter in a newborn child. The child suffers from withdrawal symptoms that are just as painful as an adults. Not only that the child has an increased risk of later addiction in life. The newborn will suffer problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, tremors, and problems sleeping. The infant will be upset and cry out at loud noises and may have an increased sensitivity to light.

Alcohol is no exception either. Alcohol can pass through your blood to the fetus. It can cause your child to have abnormal facial features such as a flat face, small head, and narrow eye openings. Children who have been exposed to alcohol during pregnancy are smaller than other children. Much like the effects of drugs it can cause a child to have learning and behavioral problems. It can cause birth defects with the eyes, ears, heart, urinary tract, and bones. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can also cause miscarriage, premature delivery, or stillbirth. Even if their are no symptoms when your child is born they may not show up until it is of school age. If your child is exposed to heavy use it is most often diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome at birth.

There are serious consequences if you give birth to an addicted baby. Some mothers have been charged with child neglect and have been sent to prison. Others whose children died were charged with involuntary manslaughter. In some cases mothers were not charged but were not allowed to take their baby home and the child was put into foster care. They were stripped of all rights to see the child or to ever regain custody. You CAN get help if you are on drugs. There are places that will help you. If your not sure where to go call your local health department. Even your health care provider can give you some information on where to go and how to get yourself treated. The earlier you stop using the better. Their is also a national hotline you can call at 1-800-467-8466.