drugs and pregnancy

I have a fdriend who is pregnant, she has recently started doing meth she wants to try and stop but she is afraid that it might be to late to quit before she has the baby and the find it in the placenta. So they will take the baby regardless. So basically what im asking is how far back do they go to find drugs in the placenta?

[amberd5191]

I don't know the answer to this. I just wanted to state she should quit anyway and do what is right for her baby. Possibly if she can prove she stopped and went clean they may not take the baby.

[marlee7]

better late than never. she would rather keep killing her baby then to get help. what does it matter how far they go back, your friend can still be a mother to her child. even if it won't be rite away. when she does get that chance, her baby will be sick if she doesn't stop now.

[JoyRenee]

It doesn't matter if they find the meth or not- she needs to stop for the baby's health. They will be born addicted and they will take him/her away. It's very hard for drug addicts to get their babies back. The babies end up either dying, going into the foster system or being adopted by another family (closed adoption; harder for birthmom to find them).

So definitely; she's got to stop. She should put herself in a maternity home or a rehabilitation center.

[KeyD]

does she not care at all for the health of her baby? Regardless of whether or not she raises the child she should think of the risks she is causing to her child. she could be sentencing that child to a life of suffering for her own enjoyment. regardless of whether or not the drugs are detcted at delivery she certainly doesn't act like a mother. she needs to grow up and start thinking of the life she is carrying.

[GRose]

She needs to talk to her doctor about this, she has to be honest with how long she has been doing it and how much she is using. Only a doctor can help her with weaning herself off, if she quits and is drug free when the baby is born she shouldn't have to worry about the baby being taken away. IF she continues to use meth there is a very big possibility that the baby will die before birth or will end up being a still born, the baby will be tested and she could be in big trouble.
I believe a drug like meth can stay in the placenta or in the baby's stool for a couple months so if she quits now there should be no trace of it.
Once again, she NEEDS to seek medical help for this. Meth is not a drug that you can get over on your own, she may need prescription meds to assist her and she for sure needs counseling.
Please help save this baby and make your friend get help, take her to the doctor if thats what it takes.