Illegal Drugs during Pregnancy

Illegal Drugs During Pregnancy

Consumption of illegal drugs is not safe for the unborn baby or for the mother. It can result in:

·Miscarriage
·Low birth-weight
·Premature labor
·Placental abruption
·Fetal death
·Maternal death

Injectable Drugs in general can infect you and your baby with HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Marijuana (Pot, weed, grass and reefer)

Cannabis Sativa (marijuana) is the illicit drug most commonly used during pregnancy. The self-reported prevalence of marijuana use during pregnancy ranges from 2% to 5% in most studies. Legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes can increase its use by pregnant women even further. Because of concerns regarding impaired neurodevelopment, as well as maternal and foetal exposure to the adverse effects of smoking, women who are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy should be encouraged to discontinue marijuana use. Obstetrician-gynaecologists should be discouraged from prescribing or suggesting the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes during preconception, pregnancy, and lactation. Pregnant women or women contemplating pregnancy should be encouraged to discontinue use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in favour of an alternative therapy for which there are better pregnancy-specific safety data. There are insufficient data to evaluate the effects of marijuana use on infants during lactation and breastfeeding, and in the absence of such data, marijuana use is discouraged.

It is recommended that:

· Before pregnancy and in early pregnancy, all women should be asked about their use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, including marijuana and other medications used for nonmedical reasons.

· Women reporting marijuana use should be counselled about concerns regarding potential adverse health consequences of continued use during pregnancy.

· Women who are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy should be encouraged to discontinue marijuana use.

· Pregnant women or women contemplating pregnancy should be encouraged to discontinue use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in favour of an alternative therapy for which there are better pregnancy-specific safety data.

· There are insufficient data to evaluate the effects of marijuana use on infants during lactation and breast-feeding, and in the absence of such data, marijuana use is discouraged.

What happens when a pregnant woman smokes marijuana?

Marijuana crosses the placenta to your baby. Marijuana, like cigarette smoke, contains toxins that keep your baby from getting the proper supply of oxygen that he or she needs to grow.

How can marijuana effect the unborn baby?

Smoking marijuana during pregnancy can increase the chance of miscarriage, low birth-weight, premature births, developmental delays, behavioral and learning problems.

What if I smoked marijuana before I knew I was pregnant?

"occasional use of marijuana, during the first trimester is unlikely to cause birth defects." Once you are aware you are pregnant, you should stop smoking. Doing this will decrease the chances of harming your baby.

Cocaine (Bump, toot, C, coke, crack, flake, snow and candy)

What happens when a pregnant woman consumes cocaine?

Cocaine crosses the placenta and enters your baby's circulation. The elimination of cocaine is slower in the fetus than in an adult. This means that cocaine remains in the baby's body much longer than in you.

How can cocaine effect my unborn baby?

According to the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS), during the early months of pregnancy cocaine exposure may increase the risk of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, cocaine use can cause placental abruption. Placental abruption can lead to severe bleeding, preterm birth, and fetal death. OTIS also states that the risk of a birth defect appears to be greater when the mother has used cocaine frequently during pregnancy.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology (ACOG), women who use cocaine during their pregnancy have a 25 % increased chance of premature labor. Babies born to mothers who use cocaine throughout their pregnancy may also have a smaller head.

What if I consumed cocaine before I knew I was pregnant?

There have not been any conclusive studies done on single doses of cocaine during pregnancy. Birth defects and other side effects are usually a result of prolonged use but since studies are inconclusive it is best to just stay away from cocaine altogether.

Cocaine is a very addictive drug and it is easier not to abuse, if you don't experiment.

While cocaine abuse in pregnancy is associated with a number of negative outcomes for both mothers and infants, it is unclear to what extent cocaine is specifically responsible for these negative outcomes and how its effects are distinct from those associated with substance abuse in general.

Use of other drugs commonly associated with cocaine abuse, such as alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco, has also been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Untoward pregnancy effects often ascribed to cocaine abuse in pregnancy may be more appropriately attributed to these or other drugs or to the unhealthy life-style associated with the long-term abuser rather than to cocaine itself.

Epidemiologic data concerning cocaine use in pregnancy describe only associations of drug use and do not prove causality. Future research and longitudinal studies are needed to examine the roles of maternal and environmental factors in predicting differences in cocaine-exposed and nonexposed pregnancies.

The observed decrement in fetal growth, especially head circumference, among cocaine-exposed neonates raises concerns about later growth and development. Follow-up of these infants will reveal if these disadvantages continue. These early results also emphasize the importance of considering amount and time of drug exposure as well as the interactive effects of drug exposure and other risk variables.

Prenatal cocaine exposure appears to be associated with what has been described as statistically significant but subtle decrements in neurobehavioral, cognitive, and language function, especially when viewed in the context of other exposures and the caregiving environment which may mediate or moderate the effects. Whether these early findings may herald more significant learning and behavioural problems during school-age and adolescence when the child is inevitably confronted with increasing social and academic challenges is the subject of ongoing longitudinal research.

Heroin (Horse, smack, junk and H-stuff)

Heroin is a very addictive drug that crosses the placenta to the baby. Because this drug is so addictive, the unborn baby can become dependent on the drug.

How can heroin effect my unborn baby?

Using heroin during pregnancy increases the chance of premature birth, low birth-weight, infant deaths and withdrawal syndrome in newborns.

Newborn Withdrawal Syndrome can cause convulsions, diarrhoea, fever and sleep abnormalities in an infant.

To maximize outcomes for mothers and infants, the health care of pregnant women addicted to opioid-containing prescription medications or heroin is best co-managed by obstetrician-gynaecologist and physicians specializing in addiction medicine.

Nearly 4 percent of pregnant women reported using illegal drugs in the previous month. Other studies show that the rate of pregnant women using any type of opioid drug ranges from 0.1 percent to 2.6 percent.

Chronic untreated opioid use during pregnancy greatly increases the risk of fetal growth restriction, placental abruption, preterm labor, and fetal death. Conversely, opioid withdrawal without treatment also raises the risk of fetal death.

Screening for alcohol and substance abuse, as well as prescription medication use/abuse, should be routine before and during pregnancy.

Methadone and Buprenorphine are the only drugs approved for the treatment of opioid dependence. Both medications have risks and benefits and must be administered through either a certified methadone program or by physicians with specific credentials.

The recommendation is against medically supervised withdrawal from heroin or other opioid drugs during pregnancy because of the high relapse rate and the increased risk of fetal distress and death.

PCP (angel dust) & LSD (acid)

What happens when a pregnant woman takes PCP and LSD?

PCP and LSD are hallucinogens. Both PCP and LSD users can have violent behaviour, which may cause harm to the baby if the mother hurts herself.

How can PCP and LSD effect my unborn baby?

PCP use during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight, poor muscle control, brain damage, and withdrawal syndrome if used frequently. LSD can lead to birth defects if used frequently.

What if I experimented with LSD or PCP before I knew I was pregnant?

No conclusive studies have been done on one time use effects of these drugs on the fetus. It is best not to experiment if you are trying to get pregnant or think you may have a chance of being pregnant.

Methamphetamine / meth, speed, ice, crystal, chalk, crank, glass, black beauties, and bikers' coffee.

The effects of methamphetamine use on pregnancy and the infant have been less well-studied than those of opiates, alcohol, and cocaine. In addition, women who use methamphetamine frequently use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, which may confound the birth outcomes.

A potential risk of illicit drug use is teratogenicity. Maternal methamphetamine use may be associated with a possible increase of defects of the fetal central nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, as well as oral cleft and limb defects. However, case-control and prospective studies have not confirmed these findings.

The Teratogen Information System database has assessed the risk of teratogenicity after exposure to amphetamines during pregnancy as unlikely based on fair to good data.

Recent studies have been consistent in finding lower birth weights and increased rates of Small for Gestational Age infants in methamphetamine exposed pregnancies compared with controls. Whether or not methamphetamine use increases the risk of other pregnancy complications, such as hypertension, preterm birth, or placental abruption, is unclear.

Children with methamphetamine exposure scored lower on tests of attention, visual motor integration, verbal memory, and long-term spatial memory, but were similar in motor skills, short delay spatial memory, and nonverbal intelligence.

Taken together, findings to date do not support an increase in birth defects with use of methamphetamine in pregnancy, but Methamphetamine use is consistently associated with SGA infants and appears to be associated with neonatal and childhood neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Continued surveillance of these children is indicated.

The effects of methamphetamine use on pregnancy and the infant have been less well-studied than those of opiates, alcohol, and cocaine. In addition, women who use methamphetamine frequently use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, which may confound the birth outcomes.

Pregnant women using methamphetamine should receive comprehensive prenatal care, including nutritional assessment and social support services. They should be tested for sexually transmitted infections and HIV. Given the increased rate of fetal growth restriction with methamphetamine use, baseline ultrasonography for clinical dating should be obtained early in pregnancy with follow-up ultrasound examinations for growth determination in the third trimester. Additional assessments such as fetal surveillance should be done as clinically indicated. Appropriate follow-up and support of the woman and her infant after delivery are important because the stresses of the postpartum period may increase the risk of relapse.

What happens when a pregnant woman takes speed?

Speed is an amphetamine, which causes the heart rate of the mother and baby to increase.

How can speed effect my unborn baby?

Taking speed during pregnancy can cause the baby to get less oxygen, which can lead to a small baby at birth. Speed can also increase the likelihood of premature labor and miscarriage.

What if I experimented with speed before I knew I was pregnant?

There have not been any significant studies done on the effect of one time use of speed during pregnancy. It is best not to experiment if you are trying to get pregnant or think you may have a chance of being pregnant.

Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine)

Ecstasy during pregnancy can cause similar effects like methamphetamines but with increased risk of congenital abnormality / birth defects