Pregnancy And Drug Use

Drug abuse usually refers to drugs prohibited by law, but it can also include recreational use of legal substances, such as alcohol, caffeine and tobacco. Legal medications, such as benzodiazepine or barbiturates, may also have harmful effects, whether they are used for legitimate or illegitimate reasons.

Drug use can greatly affect your pregnancy. A woman who abuses drugs may have more pregnancy complications because of her lifestyle. Women who abuse certain substances commonly display nutritional deficiencies; anemia and fetal-growth restriction are other risks. A pregnant woman who abuses drugs may increase her risk of pre-eclampsia (see page 268 for further information) .
Marijuana. Marijuana contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which crosses the placenta and enters the baby's system. Exposure can cause attention-deficit disorders, memory problems and impaired decision-making ability in children; these problems can appear in a child between 3 and 12 years of age.

Central-Nervous-System Drugs. When used during pregnancy, central-nervous-system stimulants, such as amphetamines, are associated with an increase in cardiovascular defects in babies. These babies frequently show signs of withdrawal, poor feeding, seizures and other problems.
Tranquilizing agents include benzodiazepines (Valium and Librium) and other agents, which are associated with an increase in congenital malformations. Heavy use in pregnancy is associated with infant withdrawal after birth.

Narcotics. Habitual use of morphine, Demerol, heroin and codeine can lead to physical dependence in the user. A pregnant woman who uses narcotics is subject to pre-eclampsia, preterm labor, fetal-growth problems and narcotic withdrawal in the baby following birth. The incidence of sudden-infant-death syndrome (SIDS) is 10 times higher among babies born to mothers who used narcotics during pregnancy than to babies whose mothers did not.
Intravenous drug use is frequently accompanied by health problems, such as AIDS, hepatitis and endocarditis. Any of these problems is extremely serious during pregnancy.

Mind-Altering Drugs. Hallucinogens, such as LSD, mescaline, hashish and peyote, are still used by many people. Phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust) falls into this group. PCP is believed to cause abnormal development in human babies, although this has not been definitely proved.
Cocaine and Crack. Cocaine use definitely complicates a pregnancy. Often a user consumes the drug over a period of time, such as several days. During this time, the user may eat or drink very little, with serious consequences for a developing fetus.

Among other problems, continual use of cocaine or its stronger form, crack, can affect maternal nutrition and temperature control, which can harm the fetus. Cocaine use has been linked with miscarriage, preterm labor, bleeding complications, placental abruption and congenital defects. A woman who uses cocaine during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy faces an increased risk of miscarriage. Cocaine can damage the developing baby as early as 3 days after conception]
Infants born to mothers who use cocaine during pregnancy often have mental deficiencies. Sudden-infant-death syndrome (SIDS) is more common among these babies. Many babies are stillborn.