The number of women who are suffering from alcohol or drug addiction while they are pregnant is growing more and more every day. Addiction during pregnancy happens probably because of certain factors like stress, life problems, lifestyle and more. Treatment is available and may save a life. This is not just harmful and dangerous for the mother’s health and overall being, but for the growing child in her womb as well.
Most women who are suffering from alcohol or drug addictions are most likely to have certain issues pertaining to low self confidence, feelings of loneliness, and perhaps other types of issues that they have been through or have seen in their life. The majority of the drug abusing pregnant women use alcohol or cocaine. However, there are some who also uses other forms of harmful drugs like marijuana, heroin, and meth.
These types of prohibited drugs may have a huge negative impact on the health of the mother and also to the unborn child. The drug components can be transmitted to the baby’s blood while in the mother’s womb, and the baby may suffer from different types of abnormalities and defects.
A mother who is taking drugs while pregnant may suffer from high blood pressure, lack of self confidence, reduced weight, early labor, sexually transmitted disease, HIV or AIDS, premature labor, anxiety and depression, anemic disorders, and skin infection.
The baby, on the other hand, may experience complications like stunted growth, HIV or AIDS, several birth defects, low birth weight, prematurity, learning disorders, infection, trembling, and even sudden death.
These are just some of the complications an unborn child and women with drug addiction can experience. Nonetheless, other forms of extreme and life threatening complications may also arise, depending on the severity of the addiction of the mother.
Being a drug addict is a condition that is extremely hard to fight and overcome. Therefore, family and friends that are related to the addict should exert effort in giving their support to the person, so that she can fight her drug problem easily and with conviction.
Help is always available. However, there are only a few centers around the country that aim to help pregnant women be free from their addiction. New Directions for Women is one. Studies show that if a woman is able to stop using drugs early during the first term of her pregnancy, there may be a good chance for her to deliver a healthy and unharmed baby. Therefore, women who are pregnant and suffering from drug or alcohol addiction should seek help immediately, in order to save themselves and their baby from sure harm, and start living a normal life while giving the proper prenatal care for their child.
Addiction during pregnancy is a serious problem. Women who are pregnant should be educated and treated, and not isolated or left out. They need help, and help starts within the family. Without the support of her loved ones, the battle of conquering her addiction will definitely be hard for her. There are treatment programs specific to women that also treat pregnant women. Entering treatment can save the life of the mother and baby.
