How do drugs affect a baby's development during pregnancy?
Illicit Drugs Illicit drug use during pregnancy may cause miscarriage, preterm labor, birth defects, stillbirth, withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth, a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), poor fetal growth rate, and cognitive and behavioral problems.Mar 5, 2021
When do drugs start affecting a fetus?
Certain drugs taken early in pregnancy (15-21 days after fertilization) during the period of blastogenesis may act in an all or nothing fashion; killing the foetus or not affecting it at all. During this early stage the fetus is highly resistant to birth defects.
What is the most abused drug during pregnancy?
The most frequently used substance in pregnancy is tobacco, followed by alcohol, cannabis and other illicit substances.May 13, 2016
How can a fetus be affected by smoking?
Smoking raises your baby's risk for birth defects, including cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. A cleft is an opening in your baby's lip or in the roof of her mouth (palate). He or she can have trouble eating properly and is likely to need surgery.
How do drugs cause birth defects?
Drugs taken by a pregnant woman reach the fetus primarily by crossing the placenta, the same route taken by oxygen and nutrients, which are needed for the fetus's growth and development. However, drugs that do not cross the placenta may still harm the fetus by affecting the uterus or the placenta.
Which drugs have the capability to have the most severe birth defects?
Medications That Cause Birth DefectsAccutane. ... Antibiotics. ... Antidepressants and Anti-anxiety drugs. ... Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) ... Anticonvulsants. ... Topamax (Topiramate) ... Zofran (Ondansetron)Mar 8, 2021
What are the long term effects of drug addicted babies?
Babies exposed to drugs in utero may experience developmental consequences including impaired growth, birth defects, and altered brain development. Prenatal drug exposure may impact the child's behavior, language, cognition, and achievement long term.Dec 5, 2020
What substances pass through the placenta to the baby?
Blood from the mother passes through the placenta, filtering oxygen, glucose and other nutrients to your baby via the umbilical cord. The placenta also filters out substances that could be harmful to your baby and removes carbon dioxide and waste products from your baby's blood.
What drugs pass through the placenta?
Drugs which have been shown to undergo significant placental metabolism include azidothymidine, dexamethasone, and prednisolone (van der Aa et al., 1998). The anticonvulsant oxcarbazepine (but not carbamazepine) is also metabolized to some extent by the human placenta (Pienimäki et al., 1997; Myllynen et al., 1998).Jul 9, 2012
What are some of the common consequences to a child whose mother smoked while pregnant?
Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are at higher risk of SIDS, having weaker lungs and having a low birth weight. Low birth weight babies are at greater risk of death and are more vulnerable to infection, breathing difficulties and long-term health problems in adulthood.
What can harm the baby while pregnant?
Tobacco, alcohol and drugs can have harmful effects on anyone's health. When a pregnant or nursing woman uses these substances, her baby also is exposed to them, for all substances cross the placenta through the umbilical cord and enter into the baby's bloodstream.
Does the placenta look different if you smoke?
Smokers have thinner, rounder placentas than nonsmokers and the distance from the edge of rupture of the membranes to the placental margin is reduced among smokers.
Drug Use During Pregnancy Statistics
Effects of drugs and alcohol during pregnancy include many severe maternal and fetal health consequences. Nearly 90 percent of women on drugs are of reproductive age. SAMHSA provides some drug use during pregnancy statistics, stating that 5.4 percent of pregnant women between ages 15 and 44 are current users of illicit drugs.
Dangers and Effects of Drugs and Alcohol During Pregnancy
It is well known that there are several serious health consequences for the developing fetus from maternal substance abuse. Some of the most common prenatal effects of drugs during pregnancy include miscarriage, preterm labor, low birth weight, and many developmental problems and birth defects.
Keeping Baby Safe: Addiction Treatment During Pregnancy
Drug use during pregnancy statistics is not changing for the better. Without drug rehab, the health consequences for mother and child can be devastating. Substance abuse treatment can be hard, especially when the addiction is severe. The possibility of withdrawal symptoms may stop some women from getting therapy.
Page Sources
National Addiction & HIV Data Archive Program, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2012. https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/NAHDAP/studies/34933/version/3
What is the effect of a drug on a newborn?
The Impact of Addiction on a Newborn Baby. When a drug is taken regularly during pregnancy, the baby may become dependent on it, creating a withdrawal effect after birth. This is called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and is most common if the baby is born addicted to opiates.
How do drugs affect the mother?
The NIDA reveals that drugs taken during pregnancy affect the mother and the growing foetus because these substances “pass easily through the placenta.”. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development explains that the placenta is “a temporary organ linking mother and foetus [which] ...
How many pregnant women smoke?
The NIDA indicates that roughly 16 percent of all pregnant women have smoked during some portion of their pregnancy. Furthermore, nicotine “in the blood of the foetus can be as much as 15 percent higher than in the mother.” The ACOG adds that the nicotine, which is only one of thousands of harmful chemicals contained in cigarettes, narrows the blood vessels. This allows less oxygen and fewer nutrients to make it to the growing foetus, which can cause permanent damage to the brain and lungs.
What are the complications of using heroin while pregnant?
The ACOG explains that use of street-level opioids, like heroin, put a pregnant woman at risk of developing several different complications, some of which include placental abruption (which is when the placenta separates from the uterus wall prematurely), preterm birth, and stillbirth.
How many pregnant women use street drugs?
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG), 1 out of every 20 pregnant women uses some type of illegal drug, also commonly referred to as a street drug. This can result in a number of issues that sometimes include: Miscarriage. Preterm labour, which is labour that occurs prior to the 37th week of pregnancy, ...
What is preterm labor?
Preterm labour, which is labour that occurs prior to the 37th week of pregnancy, or preterm birth. Stillbirth. Additionally, if a child is born to a mother who has used illegal drugs during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of low birth weight, small head size, heart defects, and other birth defects.
Can you use marijuana while pregnant?
Usage of marijuana during pregnancy also means that the adolescent may have a higher risk of marijuana usage as well. The ADAI adds that sometimes marijuana used during pregnancy can lead to physical issues for the baby, such as the development of childhood cancers.
What are the risks of being in rehab for pregnant women?
Anxiety and depression. Irritability and agitation. Delirium. Seizures. In rehab for pregnant women, physicians assess each individual mother to determine the best course of treatment for her and her baby. They can help manage potential risks and complications, such as seizures and delirium.
What is the correlation between drug use in a mother and a child in utero?
A 10-year study conducted through the University of California illustrates a high correlation between the use of drugs in a mother while a child is in utero and the outbreak of severe behavior problems later in the child’s life. The study points to a saddening but not surprising issue: the long-term consequences of drug use by pregnant women. Read More
What are the symptoms of drug withdrawal in a pregnant woman?
Drug rehab for pregnant women can help prevent the following symptoms of withdrawal when your baby is born: 3. Blotchy skin. Diarrhea.
What happens if you smoke while pregnant?
If you smoke, drink, or abuse drugs during pregnancy, dangerous chemicals can pass on to the fetus as well. If you have become pregnant while addicted to drugs or alcohol, ...
What is the purpose of rehab?
Rehabilitation, or rehab, can be used to help a person recover from addictions, injuries, and even physical or mental illnesses. However, drug rehab programs are usually the most common types of rehab. People addicted to drugs often need the additional care and assistance that drug rehab provides. Read More.
Can you drink alcohol while pregnant?
When you drink while pregnant, the alcohol in your blood passes to your baby through the umbilical cord. Drinking during your pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities. 4 These are known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).
Can you use drugs while pregnant?
3 Others can lead to issues with fetal development or inflict other forms of long-term damage. Using drugs while pregnant can result in: 3. Low birth weight. Birth defects.
What is the impact of substance use on a pregnant woman?
Pregnant women who misuse substances (alcohol, tobacco, and prescription and illicit drugs) are positioned at the nexus of public health and criminal justice intervention. The impact of their substance use on their personal health and the health of their fetuses is a public health concern, as professionals in this field are dedicated ...
What are the negative effects of substance use?
Negative health consequences associated with substance use impact both the mother and the developing fetus, and there are ongoing attempts to criminalize substance use during pregnancy that put pregnant substance-using women at risk of detection, arrest, and punishment. This study explored the experiences of substance-using mothers as they ...
What is the rate of illicit drug use in women?
The rate of illicit drug use varies widely with the woman’s age. Teenaged pregnant women have the highest rates of illicit drug use (15–17, 20.9%), followed by young adult women (18–25, 8.2%) and adult women (26–44, 2.2%). There are no reliable nationwide estimates of the annual number of infants born after prenatal substance exposure.
What is the most common benzodiazepines used by women?
The most common benzodiazepines used by participants were Valium and Xanax. Women usually referred to the drug by its brand name or with the catch-all “benzos”.
What was the most common substance used during pregnancy?
In the three months prior to discovery of the most recent pregnancy, the most common substance used was tobacco (n = 26, 86.7%). Alcohol (n = 18, 60.0%), marijuana (n = 17, 56.7%) and prescription medications (n = 16, 53.3%) were also very commonly used.
What was Regina McKnight's conviction for?
The court reaffirmed its stance on the issue in State v. McKnight(2003), when it upheld Regina McKnight’s 2001 conviction for homicide by child abuse after her pregnancy ended in a stillbirth attributed to Knight’s use of crack cocaine.
When did Tennessee become the first state to criminalize drug use during pregnancy?
Most recently, in April, 2014, Tennessee became the first state to explicitly criminalize drug use during pregnancy through legislation. Governor Bill Haslam signed SB1391 into law in April, 2014, amending Tennessee’s fetal homicide law to allow women to be prosecuted for the use of narcotics while pregnant.
What are some ways to help pregnant women with substance use disorders?
Therapeutic approaches that have been shown to be effective in treating pregnant women with substances use disorders include contingency management, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. 2.
How many pregnant women use illegal drugs?
9% of pregnant women used illegal drugs. 5% drank alcohol. 9% smoked cigarettes. That amounts to over 380,000 infants exposed to illicit substances, over 550,000 exposed to alcohol, and over 1 million exposed to tobacco in the womb. 2.
What are the risks of consuming alcohol while pregnant?
In general, risks to the unborn fetus from substance abuse include: 1,2. Placental abruption.
What is the importance of pregnancy?
Pregnancy can be a wondrous time of life—a time when women become more focused on their own health to support the health of their unborn baby. They may start to become more conscious of what they’re putting into their bodies and how that may affect the child they’re carrying. However, if the mother is addicted to drugs or alcohol, ...
Can alcohol cause postnatal withdrawal syndrome?
Postnatal withdrawal syndrome. Further, some babies born to mothers who have abused alcohol or certain drugs may develop additional health issues, such as: 3,4,5. Heart defects: Drinking alcohol and taking certain drugs during pregnancy can result in heart defects, particularly septal defects (a hole in the heart).
Is AAC free for pregnant women?
AAC is in network with many insurance companies and treatment can be free depending on your policy.
Can alcohol cause congenital abnormalities?
Alcohol is a known teratogen (an agent that can lead to congenital abnormalities). Alcohol can cause developmental defects and health problems in a baby if the mother uses it at any time during her pregnancy. The central nervous system is particularly sensitive to teratogens. 6.
What are the risks of using drugs while pregnant?
Further, she notes that women who use substances during pregnancy often have other risk factors including low socioeconomic status, poor living conditions, poor prenatal care, and their own cognitive, emotional or behavioral problems. These all contribute to neurocognitive and psychological outcomes in their children.
What happens to the brain during pregnancy?
During pregnancy the brain is growing very rapidly through processes ...
Why is it important to have a loving environment after birth?
This sort of loving environment can help mitigate negative effects of prenatal substance exposure.
How does the brain grow during pregnancy?
During pregnancy the brain is growing very rapidly through processes that involve cell growth, planned cell death and connections between cells. Due to this rapid development, any interference with normal brain development can have a significant impact on physical growth, behavior and cognition, including intelligence and language skills.
What is the precise nature of fetal growth?
The precise nature of fetal growth means that any interference on the size or effectiveness of the brain can have permanent consequences to the child.
Does smoking cause birth defects?
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of health problems for developing babies, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and birth defects of the mouth and lip. Source: CDC.
What is the difference between fentanyl and morphine?
Another difference between fentanyl and some other opioids is its potency . Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, which is derived directly from opium plants. It has powerful effects on the brain, including areas that control pain and emotion.
Why do babies not grow?
This means that babies may not grow to a healthy length or birth-weight during development. This can increase the risk of mortality and health problems in childhood and adulthood. Factors such as poor nutrition in the mother during pregnancy and neglected prenatal care can contribute to these problems.
What is MAT in pregnancy?
MAT is a combination of behavioral counseling and medications approved to reduce withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. The most common medicines used to treat opioid abuse during pregnancy are methadone and buprenorphine.
Can you take fentanyl while pregnant?
Abusing fentanyl for its effects or taking it in large doses can be dangerous while pregnant. Talking to a specialist is recommended to help you determine a safe way to stop using fentanyl. This may require inpatient treatment to treat opioid abuse and decrease risk for fetal harm.
Is fentanyl dangerous for babies?
However, misusing fentanyl in frequent and large doses can be dangerous. Fentanyl is highly addictive and has powerful effects that can cross into the placenta. This can risk dangers to a developing fetus, including neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) upon delivery.
Is fentanyl dangerous for pregnant women?
Prescription opioids like fentanyl may be commonly prescribed to relieve severe pain. This can include women who are or are trying to become pregnant. Taking prescription painkillers under the guidance of a doctor may not pose a significant risk to you or your baby. However, misusing fentanyl in frequent and large doses can be dangerous.
Can fentanyl cause stunted growth?
Taking excessive or frequent doses of fentanyl while pregnant can also pose some long-term risks to infant health: Stunted Growth: One of the health risks of fentanyl abuse during pregnancy, for instance, is stunted growth. This means that babies may not grow to a healthy length or birth-weight during development.