PREGNANCY, DRUG ABUSE AND CHILD SAFETY

[BenEXY]

Does drug abuse have any effects  on pregnancy and the safety of the baby?What are such effects?

[jd1419]

From most studies that I have read on the internet.  Some drugs may cause substantial effects to the fetus and some don't other than the baby has withdrawls when they are born.  The doctor should be aware of the drugs that are being used for then they can treat the babies withdrawl symptoms at the time of birth.  I know there are times when people just can not stop taking the drugs due to addiction, but for the health of the baby and future helath as they grow up try and quit would be a good message to pass along.

[HIS GIFT TO US]

YES, I don't really know where to begin, the unborn baby is the victim. This can include the infant having a dependence to the drug & many other compl.  Any drug abuse that is known in advance by the DR may be able to help the unborn infant.

[baby4Staci]

I work for a social service agency and i can tell you from first hand experience that drugs can have many many BAD effects on a baby.  
it can be so mild as a drug dependancy at birth which will cause the baby withdrawl (severe crying for several months after birth).  not to mention that if your child has drugs in his/her system at birth Child protective services WILL REMOVE your child from your care and you will not be allowed to take that baby home.

The extreme result of drug use during pregnancy can be physical malformations such as organ development, cleft lip/palate, mental retardation, death, blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, etc...  ESPECIALLY if the heavy drug use is during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy when the brain and nervous system are forming.

You (or whoever) is basically ruining the CHILDS life by doing drugs while pregnant.  No child ever comes out of a drug involved pregnancy unharmed.  They have learning disabilities 99.9 percent of the time.

I see these kids every day and let me tell you.. it isnt easy to raise a baby that has been exposed to drugs in the uterus.

[blessed_mommy]

My aunt gave birth to a crack addicted baby.  He had low birth weight and was very irritable and easily over-stimulated.  He will be two soon and is healthy as can be.  He has the vocabulary of most kids at his development stage.  He is happy and socializing and has no learning disabilities thus far.  Time will tell but his struggle was in the very beginning of his life.  You just never know.

[myproblem]

I have helped care for a newborn who was in withdrawl from his mother's drugs. That poor baby was in so much pain, and couldn't sleep or keep still. I also have worked with older "drug babies" of elementary school age. Many have severe hyperactivity, and learning disabilities. Of course as others have mentioned, the baby may also suffer from low birth weight, and get the worst possibe start in life. I assume you know a pregnant person who is abusing her body? Please tell her that she is abusing someone else too, and encourage her to get help quickly.

[mslkpage]

Can you be a little more specific? Are we talking about occasional marijuana use, or daily methamphetamine use? And how long into the pregnancy? 4 weeks? 4 months?

Obviously drug use is discouraged when you're pg, but we can't give you an accurate answer without more information.

[2wiceblessed]

ANY type of drug abuse can harm an unborn child. This is child abuse! I have seen the effects that drug abuse has done to an unborn child. I am a strong advocate of a womans right to choose, (there are other options). Children are not asked to be born, as GOOD parents, it is our responsibility to give them the proper start in life to ensure that they will be morally stable, educated and healthy adults. If a woman chooses to abuse her body, that is her choice, but you don't have the right to hurt an innocent child in the process.

[BusyMom92960206]

As you can tell this is a really touchy subject to a lot of people.  I am going to tell you I do not do drugs, do not have the want to do them and do not really agree with them, but have had friends that do smoke weed.  One friend was really addicted when she became pregnant and it took her some time to "wean herself" if you will.  The doctor was aware of the situation and gave her specific instructions on how to do this and discussed possible risk however her little girl just turned 1 on the 25th of this month and is just as smart and beautiful as you could ask for.  However, I have a set of twin step-kids and their mother smoked, they are 8 and one is hyper with some problems in school so...............  I think it is abuse, but as long as the doctor is aware, maybe all would be ok.  Good luck to whomever is the topic of discussion, just please think about the innocent baby!

[BABYGIRL2006]

my uncles girlfriend used drugs and he did too .all 4 kids is slow , and on ridlin  medication.and the kids seeks some kind of councilors the come to the house when the last kids was born then the hospital decided to take the kids from her  the last child is 7 and hyper and bad and deformed too it its such a shame to use any drug if the child has to suffer these kids use half to watch them while you sleep  they are not to be trusted and its not there fault

[BABYGIRL2006]

my uncles girlfriend used drugs and he did too .all 4 kids is slow , and on ridlin  medication.and the kids seeks some kind of councilors the come to the house when the last kids was born then the hospital decided to take the kids from her  the last child is 7 and hyper and bad and deformed too it its such a shame to use any drug if the child has to suffer these kids use half to watch them while you sleep  they are not to be trusted and its not there fault

[mslkpage]

I just wanted to clarify my answer. I'm not advocating ANY kind of drug use in pregnancy, whatsoever. I just wanted the original poster (who seems to have disappeared) to clarify the situation.
Sometimes, women post on here about recreational drug use before they knew they were pg. AS someone who works with drug addicts (many of whom are pg), I can tell you the answer depends on the type of drug, the frequency of use, and how far into the pregnancy the women was using. Obviously, it's not okay to use any drugs during pregnancy. I hate these vague questions, because we're talking about hundreds of possible scenarios here.  

Anyway,I just wanted everyone to know I'm not a pothead.

[emma10]

I thought they were actually arresting mothers as they gave birth if they gave birth to crack-addicted babies (but maybe only if they had active drug in their system?) It is classified as child abuse and to protect someone who is using drugs and pregnant is not doing her or the baby any favors. I'd try to get them to talk to a dr. A doctor would much rather hear up front of the problem than figure it out across 9 mos. Sometimes the effects are lasting, not to mention, if the mother doesn't quit, after the birth you now have a  drug-addict or drug-user raising a newborn. That's where Social Services becomes interested.

I have a friend who really wants to have a baby (she's 37) but she doesn't want to give up her daily relaxation of pot-smoking (she and DH are heavy smokers). So she keeps on the B/C until she can figure out what's more important, the stoner lifestyle or having a family. Seems like an easy choice to me but for her, it's 20 years of a way of life. Maybe she does know that is best for her.

[mslkpage]

I don't know what the laws are in every state, but in Texas, they cannot arrest a mother who tests positive for drugs, or who's newborn tests positive. CPS can take custody of the baby, though, and then they conduct an investigation.

I think that's the procedure for most states, but I can't say for sure.

[stephtn07]

I too anm dealing with children that are the product of a drrug addicted mother that chose to use and drink alcohol during her pregnancy and that throughout these childrens lives they have been very obviously something not right....both are very aggressive, and have some syt mptoms of ADHD, ADD and possibly attachments disorders and autism...so yes drugs can and do have lasting effects on the child born to the addicted moms.  Unfortunately these children I have ear olshere are the prime example of what and how these children are effected by drug abuse during pregnancy.

For example we have a 2yr old that has self injuring tantrums, the four year old suffers from an Attention problem, and is so aggressive at times that she intensionally destroys her own personal possessions, or those of the ones that loves her most, and then she also tends to  try and hurt animals and other objects that she thinks she can and now with 4 children we have decided that we have got to find out how to adress all these issues.....GOOD LUCK

MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU, TODAY, TOMMOROW, AND FOREVER..

BE SURE TO TAKE TIME TO BREATH....