Pregnancy is a time of total commitment, dedication, and, above all, great responsibility. Throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, it is necessary to be extra careful with food, medications, physical exertion, and even the places you usually visit. Of course, pregnancy is not an illness, and you don’t need to give up everything you did before getting pregnant, but some choices and certain precautions will be needed if you want your baby to develop well and stay healthy. For those who enjoy partying, with drinks and even some “recreational” drugs to liven up the night, it’s important to be aware of the consequences and effects of drugs during pregnancy. What might seem like simple fun for the moment can cause harm and damage that lasts a lifetime.
Conscious Pregnancy
Every woman who is carrying a child needs to know that everything that enters her body also comes into contact with the baby, whether through the placenta or bloodstream. Through food, drinks, medications, and even drugs of any kind, the baby is exposed to these substances. The use of drugs makes the baby a chemical dependent without even having the choice not to use.
IMPORTANT: After birth, babies born to women who used drugs often show more agitated behavior, cry more and without reason, and this is part of drug “withdrawal.”
That is why every action taken during pregnancy needs to be done with awareness, and if you use any type of drug, now is the time to stop. And we’re not only talking about marijuana, cocaine, crack, and similar drugs, but also drugs like cigarettes and alcohol. There will always be someone who says that marijuana is a plant, so it’s natural and can’t harm the mother and baby, let alone cause drug effects during pregnancy. However, several recent studies have proven the opposite. Even if they are born looking normal, the effects will appear throughout their life. Symptoms such as behavioral issues, learning difficulties, and attention problems are some characteristics observed in children born to mothers who used drugs during pregnancy.
Drugs and Their Effects
Every chemical substance can affect fetal development and cause problems that a child will carry for a lifetime. Each chemical substance specifically affects a part of the baby’s body and development. Ecstasy: The famous club drug that promises to liven up your night like no other is responsible for the highest number of heart malformations in babies and limb deficiencies. It is also linked to long-term memory problems and attention disorders. Cocaine: Cocaine, well known for its stimulant power, has a strong impact on the nervous system, causing irreversible damage to its users. When used during pregnancy, especially in the first months, it can cause spontaneous miscarriages. Continuing drug use throughout pregnancy can lead to placental abruption, putting both mother and baby’s lives at risk. The drug’s effects on the baby are even more intense, since its use is linked to a high number of severe anomalies in the baby’s brain, face, heart, intestines, eyes, and genitals. In addition to withdrawal symptoms that the newborn must endure due to the absence of the substance in the bloodstream, which can take up to 10 weeks after birth to normalize. Cocaine use can also lead to premature birth. Marijuana – According to statistics, marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug among pregnant women worldwide. Citing it as an herb, and therefore natural, thousands of women around the world are putting their babies’ lives at risk in the womb simply for fun. Marijuana use is not linked to major cases of birth defects, but it is directly linked to increased frequency and intensity of uterine contractions in pregnancy that can result in miscarriage. It has also been observed that babies born to women who used marijuana during pregnancy were smaller and underweight at birth, a situation that normalized during the first year of life. Other symptoms such as tremors and spasms indicating neurological problems, and difficulties with sucking during breastfeeding have also been noted. However, among all the symptoms noted above, the most frequent were babies with memory problems, impaired reasoning, and attention deficit – especially during school years. There have also been reports of hyperactivity, anxiety, and neurological disorders. Cigarettes – The harmful effects of smoking are clear for everyone. During pregnancy, these effects are even more serious, as they affect not only one life, but two. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of spontaneous miscarriage, premature birth, increases the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome, and is responsible for babies being born underweight. Alcohol – The effects of alcohol on a baby exposed to alcoholism in the womb can be severe. Babies may be born smaller than normal, at higher risk for microcephaly, have facial abnormalities, be born with heart problems, and suffer from intellectual disabilities. They also have a higher chance of developing fetal alcohol syndrome right after birth.
I’m a Drug User and Got Pregnant – How Can I Quit?
When we talk about drug users, we naturally think of illicit drugs. But here, we’re pointing out the difficulty of quitting any addictive substance, including those sold legally, like cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. Anyone who has experienced addiction knows how hard it is to quit. Even for an occasional user or someone who is fully dependent, that old story of “I’m not addicted, I can stop whenever I want” is just an excuse. It’s proven that just one puff or a single use of certain substances can make you dependent on them. However, quitting drugs requires one big step: WANTING TO QUIT! No one quits drugs because their family, partner, or friends want them to. The desire must come from the person themselves, along with the willpower to seek help. The first step is, don’t hide from the truth – after all, you need help. At your appointment with your gynecologist, it is essential that you tell the truth and report the type of drugs you use, as well as how often and how much. Doctors have the duty to provide advice and keep everything discussed in the office strictly confidential. During the appointment, the harms and effects caused by drugs will be explained, along with the ways to help you quit. If you don’t have the courage to tell your doctor or your family, seek help by calling the National Anti-Drug Hotline, at number 132, and look for alternatives to quit drugs. There are many institutions throughout Brazil that support women with chemical dependencies, and when pregnant, these services provide even more special care to help women quit drugs as soon as possible, thus reducing health risks for both mother and, especially, baby. Don’t think that all is lost; there is always a way out, a solution, and a door to open. Seek help and save your life and your child’s! Also see: Medications in Pregnancy – Use Safely! Photo: Milli_lu
