Smoking Drugs During Pregnancy Effects?

(April 19, 2010)

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, almost four per cent of American women use drugs like marijuana and cocaine during pregnancy. Smoking drugs during pregnancy can lead to serious complications and may not only harm your baby but your health as well.

Here are some ill-effects that these drugs can cause, especially while you are pregnant:

•   Alcohol: Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can harm your baby to a large extent. It can lead to a condition known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In this condition, the baby is physically deformed, including deformation of the facial features and also improper mental development. Your child may also display some learning disabilities and physical disabilities.

•   Cocaine: Exposure to this drug during pregnancy can increase the risk of having a miscarriage. It can also lead to premature placental abruption which can trigger excessive bleeding and preterm labor pain. Babies who are exposed to cocaine are prone to tremors, insomnia problem, muscle spasms, and difficulties in feeding. Besides these they may also face problems in breathing and defects in their genital areas and other vital organs like the kidneys and brain.

•   Heroin: Exposure to this drug also has ill-effects on both you and your baby. It causes deformities in your developing baby and can complicate the pregnancy to a large extent. Heroin is generally injected inside the body through the vein and this injection of needles can increase the risk of STDs and can cause AIDS in the pregnant woman or the developing child.

•   Marijuana: Exposure to marijuana during pregnancy can cause serious health issues to both the mother and the baby. The substance present in marijuana has the capacity to pass through the placenta directly. As a result, your developing baby can get affected directly. Studies have revealed that exposure to marijuana during pregnancy shortens the length of pregnancy by inducing preterm labor, hinders with the quality of the labor process, and causes birth defects in your baby. It can also cause congenital development defects in babies.

Drugs during pregnancy can also lead to hallucinations wherein people feel and see things that do not exist. You do not realize what is actually happening around you. This can lead to dangerous situations in life and can harm your pregnancy indirectly. Exposure to drugs also brings down the oxygen supply which may cause complications in pregnancy.

If you are addicted to cigarettes or drugs, it is advisable to kick the habit the moment you plan to have a baby. Seek the help of a rehabilitation center or a professional.

Submitted by P T on April 19, 2010 at 04:59

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