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In the past, little was understood about drug or alcohol abuse, and not a lot could be done to help a person with these problems. Today, healthcare providers are able to recommend suggestions and provide care to those who use or abuse drugs, alcohol or other substances. Do not be embarrassed or shy about confiding in your doctor about any substance use. You must realize that the major concern of your doctor is you and your baby. In recent years, we have discovered a log about drug and alcohol use and their effect on pregnancy. It is now felt that the best policy regarding drug or alcohol use while pregnant is not use any at all.
It simply makes more sense to resolve any of these types of problems before you get pregnant. This is because that it is very common when you discover that you are pregnant, you will most likely already be 8 or 10 weeks along. Your baby goes through some of its most important developmental stages in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. You might use drugs and not realize you are pregnant. Few women would take these substances if they knew they were pregnant. Stop using any substance you do not need at least 3 months before trying to conceive.
As research into these substance abuse problems continue, we have learned that the use of drugs or alcohol while pregnant could seriously affect the IQ of a child, its attention span as well as its learning ability. As of this date, there is no safe level for any of these substances. Drug use before pregnancy is serious business. Fortunately, there is help for those who use drugs. Get help before you become pregnant. Preparing for pregnancy may be a good reason for you and your partner to change your lifestyle.
Another very common form of substance abuse is tobacco. Our society has been aware for a very lengthy time that smoking has a detrimental affect on fetal development. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have low birth weight babies or babies with intrauterine-growth restriction. Ask for help to stop smoking before you become pregnant. Your doctor should be receptive to this request.
In the past, some believed a small amount of alcohol during pregnancy was okay. Today, we believe no amount of alcohol is safe to drink during pregnancy. Alcohol crosses the placenta and directly affects your baby. Heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol exposure (FAE).
Cocaine has been shown to affect the baby throughout pregnancy, not just during the first trimester. If you use cocaine during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, you run a higher risk of miscarriage. In addition, cocaine can also result in extreme deformities in a fetus. The type of defect it causes is dependent on the point at which cocaine was used during the pregnancy. Infants that are born to women who use cocaine while pregnant have been found to have many long-term mental deficiencies. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is also more common in these babies. Many babies born to women who use cocaine are stillborn.
Cocaine affects the mother-to-be, too. It is a stimulant and increases their heart rate and blood pressure. Women who use the drug during pregnancy have a higher rate of placental abruption, which is the premature separation of the placenta from the uterus. In certain regions of the US, there are greater than 10% of all pregnant women who consume cocaine at some time while pregnant. Again, the best policy is to completely stop using cocaine right before you stop taking birth control. You need to realize that it is very possible for embryo damage to occur as early as 3 days after conception.
Marijuana is dangerous during pregnancy because it crosses the placenta and enters the system of the new baby. It can have long-lasting effects on babies exposed before birth. Research has shown that the use of marijuana during pregnancy can affect cognitive function, decision-making ability and future-planning ability in the child. Continued usage could also negatively impact the verbal reasoning and memory of the child. And if your partner smokes marijuana, you should encourage him to stop. There was one study that indicated the risk of SIDS was as high as twice the average for children with fathers that smoked marijuana. The risk is also existent if the male consumes prior to conception. Researchers now feel that the THC in marijuana may adversely affect sperm and the growing fetus.
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