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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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Pregnancy |
Drug abuse and pregnancy04/27/1998 |
What are the effects of illegal drugs on the Fetus and or newborn child
Anything that a woman ingests during pregnancy will affect her and her baby. Since you did not specify which drugs you were referring to I will discuss the effects of a few of the more commonly used drugs.Tobacco use is associated with spontaneous abortions, (miscarriage) ectopic pregnancies (implanting of the embryo outside of the uterus), preterm labor, abruptio placentae (separation of the placenta prior to birth of the baby), placenta previa (placenta in the lower uterus, may cover the cervix) low birth weight infants and growth restriction.
The research studies on marijuana effects on fetal development during pregnancy are based on animal studies and the results are conflicting. Some studies have shown that infants exposed to marijuana will have fine tremors, and irritability. What is known is that marijuana does cross into the fetal circulation and reduces the amount of oxygen available to the growing fetus.
Cocaine use can affect both the mother and the baby. Some complications the mother may experience include cardiovascular problems, pulmonary disease, liver damage, seizures and death. They are also at increased risk for preterm labor and delivery, and have babies with a lower birth weight.
Heroin users are at high risk for malnutrition, anemia, preeclampsia (high blood pressure occurring in pregnancy), placental abnormalities, preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes. The infant will often be born addicted to heroin, and will go through withdrawal following birth. These infants are irritable, have a shrill high cry, and may have seizures. They are very difficult to comfort, which may place them at high risk for mothering disorders.
If you are considering a pregnancy and use any drug not prescribed by your health care provider, you should discuss this with your use with your health care provider, prior to getting pregnant.
If you are seeking further information about a specific drug you might do a medline search, and check out references at your library.
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Tina Weitkamp, RNC, MSN Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing College of Nursing University of Cincinnati |
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