Many woman that are pregnant struggle with some form of addiction or substance abuse issue. Research shows that use of tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs, or misuse of prescription drugs by pregnant women can have severe health consequences for infants. Recent research shows that smoking tobacco or marijuana, taking prescription pain relievers, or using illegal drugs during pregnancy is associated with double or even triple the risk of stillbirth. Estimates suggest that about 5 percent of pregnant women use one or more addictive substances.
Regular use of some drugs can cause neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), in which the baby goes through withdrawal upon birth. Most research in this area has focused on the effects of opioids (prescription pain relievers or heroin). However, data has shown that use of alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and caffeine during pregnancy may also cause the infant to show withdrawal symptoms at birth. The type and severity of an infant’s withdrawal symptoms depend on the drug(s) used, how long and how often the birth mother used, how her body breaks the drug down, and whether the infant was born full term or premature.
Symptoms of drug withdrawal in a newborn can develop immediately or up to 14 days after birth and can include:
- blotchy skin coloring
- diarrhea
- excessive or high-pitched crying
- abnormal sucking reflex
- fever
- hyperactive reflexes
- increased muscle tone
- irritability
- poor feeding
- rapid breathing
- seizures
- sleep problems
- slow weight gain
- stuffy nose and sneezing
- sweating
- trembling
- vomiting
Effects of using some drugs could be long-term and possibly fatal to the baby:
- birth defects
- low birth weight
- premature birth
- small head circumference
- sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Long-term effects of drugs and alcohol throughout maturity development:
People who are born with defects due to alcohol and drug use during pregnancy very often experience issues during maturity development. Learning disabilities, mental health problems (Depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD…), and even physical complications in organs and in the nervous system become apparent as this person develops.
Marijuana and Cannabis
Despite various surveys, the precise number of women who use marijuana while pregnant is unclear. One study found that women were about twice as likely to screen positive for marijuana use via a drug test than they state in self-reported measures. This suggests that self-reported rates of marijuana use in pregnant females is not an accurate measure of marijuana use and may be an underestimation.
Cocaine and Methamphetamine
It is not completely known how a pregnant woman‘s cocaine use affects her child, since cocaine-using women are more likely to also use other drugs such as alcohol, to have poor nutrition, or to not seek prenatal care. All these factors can affect a developing fetus, making it difficult to isolate the effects of cocaine.Research does show, however, that pregnant women who use cocaine are at higher risk for maternal migraines and seizures, premature membrane rupture, and placental abruption (separation of the placental lining from the uterus). Pregnancy is accompanied by normal cardiovascular changes, and cocaine use exacerbates these changes—sometimes leading to serious problems with high blood pressure (hypertensive crisis), spontaneous miscarriage, preterm labor, and difficult delivery.
Babies born to mothers who use cocaine during pregnancy may also have low birth weight and smaller head circumferences and are shorter in length than babies born to mothers who do not use cocaine. They also show symptoms of irritability, hyperactivity, tremors, high-pitched cry, and excessive sucking at birth. These symptoms may be because of cocaine itself, rather than withdrawal since cocaine and its metabolites are still present in the baby’s body up to 5 to 7 days after delivery. Estimates suggest that there are about 750,000 cocaine-exposed pregnancies every year.Pregnant women who use methamphetamine have a greater risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure and possible organ damage), premature delivery, and placental abruption. Their babies are more likely to be smaller and to have low birth weight. In a large, longitudinal study of children prenatally exposed to methamphetamine, exposed children had increased emotional reactivity and anxiety/depression, were more withdrawn, had problems with attention, and showed cognitive problems that could lead to poorer academic outcomes.
Heroin
Heroin use during pregnancy can result in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) specifically associated with opioid use. NAS occurs when heroin passes through the placenta to the fetus during pregnancy, causing the baby to become dependent on opioids. Symptoms include excessive crying, high-pitched cry, irritability, seizures, and gastrointestinal problems, among others.
The solution
There are treatment options available for people who suffer from these symptoms listed above. Although, success is more likely if pregnant women can receive the help they need to be able to provide a healthy vessel for their baby. This solution Is not only a benefit for a newborn but is also healthy for the mother and will allow the mother to put herself in a position to be a healthy parent moving forward. This is a very difficult task to face alone. Can-Am is here to help mothers understand this very delicate and crucial situation, and to provide knowledge, understanding and to ideally treat this condition so you can begin a healthy path forward for you and your newborn. We welcome your call and look forward to meeting you.
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