{"id":10333,"date":"2020-09-09T12:47:37","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T12:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/?p=10333"},"modified":"2020-10-10T18:26:09","modified_gmt":"2020-10-10T18:26:09","slug":"drug-use-and-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/drug-use-and-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Drug Use and Pregnancy"},"content":{"rendered":"<header><div class=\"contained\"><div><div><\/div><div class=\"content\"><h1>Drug Use and Pregnancy<\/h1><a href=\"#recoveryModal\" class=\"btn submit\" data-toggle=\"modal\">Reach out now, we can help<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/header><div id=\"crumbs\" class=\"contained\" data-is-podcasts=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\">Home<\/a>  \/  <\/div><h3 data-date='09 September 2020' class='article-title'>Drug Use and Pregnancy<\/h3><div class='info'><span>09 September, 2020<\/span><span>Articles, News<\/span><\/div>\n<p>As an expectant mother, you want your baby to be as healthy as possible. Remember that most of what you consume is passed along to your growing baby. While some things are good for your baby, others can be harmful. Alcohol and illegal drugs are known to be particularly dangerous for a developing baby.  Any amount of these substances is considered unsafe during pregnancy.  You should avoid them altogether while you&rsquo;re pregnant. Quitting before you get pregnant is ideal, but stopping drug or alcohol use at any point during pregnancy will benefit your baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #767676;\" class=\"ugb-highlight\">How Does Drug Use During Pregnancy Affect the Baby?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You and your baby are connected by the placenta and umbilical cord. Nearly everything that enters your body will be shared with your baby.  This means that any drug you use will also affect your baby.  A foetus is very sensitive to drugs and can&rsquo;t eliminate drugs as effectively as you can. Consequently, the chemicals can build up to extremely high levels in the baby&rsquo;s system and cause permanent damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking drugs during pregnancy also increases the chance of birth defects, premature babies, underweight babies, and stillborn births. Exposure to drugs such as marijuana &mdash; also called weed, ganja, dope, or pot &mdash; and <a href=\"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/foetal-alcohol-syndrome-the-dangers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"alcohol before birth (opens in a new tab)\">alcohol before birth<\/a> has been proven to cause behavioural problems in early childhood.  These drugs can also affect the child&rsquo;s memory and attentiveness. In addition, some findings show that babies born to women who use cocaine, alcohol, or&nbsp;tobacco&nbsp;when they are pregnant may have&nbsp;brain&nbsp;structure changes that persist into early adolescence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #767676;\" class=\"ugb-highlight\">The risks associated with drug use during pregnancy depend on various factors, including:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>the type of drug used <\/li><li>the point at which the drug was used <\/li><li>the number of times the drug was used <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In\ngeneral, however, using drugs during pregnancy can result in the\nfollowing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>miscarriage\n\t<\/li><li>stillbirth\n\t<\/li><li>small size\n\t<\/li><li>low birth weight\n\t<\/li><li>premature birth\n\t<\/li><li>birth defects\n\t<\/li><li>sudden infant death\n\tsyndrome\n\t<\/li><li>drug dependency in\n\tthe baby\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are\nsome of the specific consequences of drug use during pregnancy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Low birth weight\n\tplaces an infant at a higher risk for illness, intellectual\n\tdisability, and even death.\n\t<\/li><li>Premature birth\n\tincreases the risk of lung, eye, and learning problems in the\n\tinfant.\n\t<\/li><li>Birth defects that\n\toften occur due to drug use include seizure, stroke, and\n\tintellectual and learning disabilities.\n\t<\/li><li>Foetuses can become\n\tdependent on the drug(s) the mother is using and may experience\n\twithdrawal symptoms after delivery.\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Drug use during early pregnancy can affect the developing organs and limbs of the foetus. Even one episode of drug use during this period can affect the development of your child.  In most cases, it results in a birth defect or miscarriage.  Drug use later in pregnancy can affect the development of your baby&rsquo;s central nervous system.  After pregnancy, many drugs can pass through breast milk and harm the baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using any type of illegal drug during pregnancy can have a detrimental effect on your child.  Here is some information on the most commonly used drugs and how they can affect a developing baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marijuana<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get the full effect of marijuana, smokers need to inhale deeply and hold the smoke in their lungs for as long as possible.  There are many harmful gases in marijuana smoke that can be passed along to your baby, increasing the risk for complications.  Smoking marijuana during pregnancy may increase the chances that your baby will have a bowel movement while inside the womb, which can cause early onset of labour and foetal distress. Marijuana use can also result in poor growth, behavioural problems, and breathing problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marijuana\nuse should also be avoided while breast-feeding, as the drug can\neasily be transmitted to the baby through breast milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cocaine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cocaine use during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.  It can also cause premature rupture of membranes (water breaks early), early separation of the placenta, and preterm labour. A baby exposed to cocaine is at a higher risk for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>stroke\n\t<\/li><li>poor growth\n\t<\/li><li>feeding problems\n\t<\/li><li>deformed limbs\n\t<\/li><li>brain damage\n\t<\/li><li>reproductive or\n\turinary system abnormalities\n\t<\/li><li>sudden infant death\n\tsyndrome\n\t<\/li><li>long-term\n\tbehavioural problems\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>After\npregnancy, cocaine can be transmitted to the baby through breast\nmilk, so it shouldn&rsquo;t be used while breast-feeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Opiates\n(Narcotics)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Opiates, also known as narcotics, include heroin and methadone.  Women who use narcotics during pregnancy are at increased risk for preterm labour and delivery.  They are also more likely to deliver a stillborn baby or a baby with growth problems.  Babies exposed to narcotics in utero are at increased risk for neonatal death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Heroin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use heroin during pregnancy, your baby may be born addicted to the drug.  They may experience a severe, life-threatening withdrawal syndrome after delivery.  This condition is characterized by the following symptoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>high-pitched crying\n\t<\/li><li>poor feeding\n\t<\/li><li>tremors\n\t<\/li><li>irritability\n\t<\/li><li>sneezing\n\t<\/li><li>sweating\n\t<\/li><li>vomiting\n\t<\/li><li>diarrhea\n\t<\/li><li>seizures\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Your baby\nwill need special care and medication to treat their withdrawals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you share needles, you should be tested for HIV and hepatitis.  These infections can also cause complications in your baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like\ncocaine and marijuana, heroin shouldn&rsquo;t be used while\nbreast-feeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Methadone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can quit using opiates altogether, it will be best for you and your baby.  However, switching to methadone is better than continued heroin use.  Methadone is associated with better pregnancy outcomes than heroin, but babies can still experience the narcotic withdrawal syndrome. Additionally, they may still be at an increased risk for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"sudden infant death syndrome. (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/sudden-infant-death-syndrome\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20352800\" target=\"_blank\">sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).<\/a>  For these reasons, it&rsquo;s best to avoid using methadone during pregnancy. Methadone use of 20 milligrams or less per day is compatible with breast-feeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Amphetamines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\nuse stimulants, such as crystal methamphetamine (speed), then you are\nat increased risk for the following problems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>early placental\n\tseparation\n\t<\/li><li>delivery of a baby\n\twith growth problems\n\t<\/li><li>death of the foetus\n\tin utero\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Amphetamines\nshouldn&rsquo;t be used if you&rsquo;re breast-feeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>RESOURCES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/pregnancy\/alcohol-drugs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/pregnancy\/alcohol-drugs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/baby\/drug-use-and-pregnancy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/baby\/drug-use-and-pregnancy<\/a><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Drug Use and Pregnancy Reach out now, we can help Home \/ Drug Use and Pregnancy 09 September, 2020Articles, News As an expectant mother, you want your baby to be as healthy as possible. Remember that most of what you consume is passed along to your growing baby. While some things are good for your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,4],"tags":[214,213,90,26,27,226,231,233,225,227,229,230,234,232,224,228],"class_list":["post-10333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-articles","tag-health","tag-pregnancy","tag-substance-abuse","tag-addiction","tag-rehab","tag-rehab-gauteng","tag-rehab-johannesburg","tag-rehab-pretoria","tag-rehab-south-africa","tag-rehabgauteng","tag-rehabjhb","tag-rehabjohannesburg","tag-rehabpretoria","tag-rehabpta","tag-rehabsa","tag-rehabsouthafrica","entry"],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob.jpg",618,412,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob-80x80.jpg",80,80,true],"medium":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob.jpg",618,412,false],"large":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob.jpg",618,412,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob.jpg",618,412,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob.jpg",618,412,false],"alm-thumbnail":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sob.jpg",618,412,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"<p>Drug Use and PregnancyReach out now, we can helpHome \/ Drug Use and Pregnancy09 September, 2020Articles, News As an expectant mother, you want your baby to be as healthy as possible. Remember that most of what you consume is passed along to your growing baby. While some things are good for your baby, others can be harmful. Alcohol and illegal drugs are known to be particularly dangerous for a developing baby. Any amount of these substances is considered unsafe during pregnancy. You should avoid them altogether while you&rsquo;re pregnant. Quitting before you get pregnant is ideal, but stopping drug or&hellip;<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/category\/news\/articles\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Articles<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"admin","url":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/author\/admin\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10333"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10333\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}