{"id":45908,"date":"2022-03-30T06:00:16","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T04:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ccadicciones.es\/drug-use-during-pregnancy\/"},"modified":"2022-03-30T06:00:16","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T04:00:16","slug":"drug-use-during-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ccadicciones.es\/en\/drug-use-during-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Drug Use During Pregnancy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Drug use during pregnancy will have negative consequences for the baby. Everything a mother does during the 9 months of gestation will also be transmitted to her child because the baby develops through the nutrition provided by the mother. If she consumes any drug, just as food reaches the baby, the substance will also be transmitted. <\/p>\n

Maternal substance abuse<\/strong> is a taboo subject. If society already stigmatizes addicts, pregnant addicts are stigmatized even more. Addiction is already difficult to recognize and accept, and the first reaction is to hide it and lie so that no one knows. In the case of women who are expecting a baby, this increases even further. Motherhood is popularly conceived as a beautiful stage, but it is not always experienced that way, as would be the case for women suffering from an addiction disorder due to substance abuse. <\/p>\n

Ideally, a detoxification treatment should be completed before becoming pregnant, but what often happens is that pregnancy occurs unexpectedly, making it even more complicated to stop using. At CCAdicciones<\/strong><\/a>, we are at your complete disposal if you need treatment to overcome an addiction. <\/p>\n

Motherhood and Addiction<\/h2>\n

Different situations can occur during drug use and pregnancy, among which we can distinguish the following:<\/p>\n

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  • The woman does not know she is pregnant.<\/strong> Since she is unaware of her situation, she continues using. Even if she stops using after learning of her condition and does not consume any substance during the following months of pregnancy, the baby may still suffer consequences. During the first months, the fetus has been exposed to these drugs. <\/li>\n
  • The inability to stop using<\/strong> even knowing she is pregnant. The woman has a very strong addiction to one or more drugs, and even being aware of her condition, she cannot stop using due to her high degree of dependence. As a result, she puts her child at risk because using drugs during pregnancy will cause negative effects on the baby. Being aware of the consequences her actions will have on her child, there may be several failed attempts to stop using, but without success because she cannot control her consumption. <\/li>\n
  • After childbirth<\/strong>. This is a quite different situation from the previous two. Despite not having had an addiction before pregnancy, the fact of having given birth and having to face a new situation can be the trigger for her consumption. First-time mothers, or mothers who are not first-time, may feel overwhelmed, stressed, with fears, doubts… because they have to face motherhood, which represents a great responsibility. They may consume relaxing substances to calm down and escape from their reality. If a woman consumes after childbirth, it will also affect the baby if she breastfeeds. Even if she does not breastfeed, a mother’s addiction will always impact her child through her behavior: irritability, aggressive conduct, neglect of her obligations… <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    How Does Drug Use During Pregnancy Affect? <\/b>Effects on the Baby <\/b><\/h3>\n

    The disease of addiction affects the person who uses, but also many other elements of their environment: family, work, studies, etc. Drug use during pregnancy will affect the woman in question, but also the baby on the way. Drugs cross the placenta and will cause direct effects on the baby. The consequences will depend on different elements such as: the type of drug consumed, the amount and frequency of use, although other factors also intervene, such as biological ones. As a general rule, drug use produces:<\/strong> <\/p>\n

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    • Spontaneous abortion<\/li>\n
    • Premature birth<\/li>\n
    • Malformations<\/li>\n
    • Congenital defects<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Neonatal abstinence syndrome <\/b><\/h4>\n

      A newborn will experience neonatal abstinence syndrome if the mother has used drugs during pregnancy, especially with opiates. The mother using drugs is addicted to these substances and makes her child addicted as well. <\/p>\n

      After childbirth, these substances can continue to be transmitted through breast milk. Newborns who have been exposed to drugs have a higher percentage of suffering from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). <\/span><\/p>\n

      Breastfeeding Period <\/b><\/h3>\n

      During pregnancy and the breastfeeding period, it is recommended to have a healthy lifestyle, and of course avoid drug use, drinking alcohol, or smoking. Although during breastfeeding the mother is no longer pregnant, her lifestyle habits will continue to affect the baby. If a woman uses drugs during the breastfeeding period, it will also negatively impact her child because she will be transmitting drug residues through her breast milk. <\/p>\n

      The first months of a newborn’s life are a key phase because the youngest are in a growth stage, the first of their life. Their organs are not even fully formed yet; they are in constant development. Therefore, they are especially vulnerable and being exposed to a toxic substance will be a very high risk. <\/p>\n

      It is very important that if the mother consumes any substance, she suspend breastfeeding to avoid harming her child. If, on the contrary, she breastfeeds while using drugs, it will cause her baby drowsiness, easy crying, irritability… <\/p>\n

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        Do you feel identified? Contact us and we will help you. <\/h3>\n<\/span>\n<\/span> \n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n