Drug Use During Pregnancy?
Question by JB: Drug use during pregnancy?
I am 4 1/2 months pregnant now and i just found out. (My periods have never been regular and i just started getting chunky) I have drank and used cocaine pretty heavily the last couple months. I am just wondering if any one else has done the same and has had a healthy baby? Yes I have stopped both these habits and I did use birth control, (condom broke and I did take the morning after pill… obviously didn’t work.)
Best answer:
Answer by Dave D
Try the link below… I think it will help explain a few of the concerns you have. The main thing now is to continue stay away from alcohol, drugs and tobacco, and give your baby the best possible chances for a long and healthy life.
Answer by poohfrawg
Cocaine abuse is a significant problem not only in the general population but also among pregnant women. Since cocaine readily crosses the placenta and is metabolized slowly in fetuses, they can be exposed to significant levels of cocaine for long periods. In humans the most common consequences of cocaine abuse during pregnancy include premature birth, lower birth weight, respiratory distress, bowel infarctions, cerebral infarctions, reduced head circumference, and increased risk of seizures. Behaviorally these newborns show an increased degree of “tremulousness,” crying and irritability, and are over-reactive to environmental stimuli. Within a month these behaviors have recovered dramatically, but not to normal levels. Thus while there are a number of abnormalities associated with cocaine-exposed neonates, they are not imminently debilitating or life-threatening. However, the long-term consequences of this prenatal cocaine exposure remain to be elucidated. We have examined a rat model for neurochemical, neuroanatomical and behavioral changes resulting from prenatal cocaine exposure. Since cocaine is known to act by blocking the inactivation of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, our studies have focused on brain dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) pathways. In this model system we have found neurochemical changes that are present at birth and that return to normal as the rat ages–similar to the recovery observed in infants. However, there are other neurochemical, anatomical and behavioral changes that persist after birth which may provide insights into the long-term consequences. It is hoped that by understanding the changes occurring in this rat model we will be better prepared to devise pharmacological interventions to circumvent the secondary consequences of prenatal cocaine exposure. These consequences might include increased susceptibility to drug addiction, seizures, depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
I hope everything turns out okay for you… GOOD LUCK
OUR OPINION: LePage plan for war on drugs wrong-headed
It's not that drug use by pregnant women is safe: Drug use causes complicated pregnancies that can result in premature births, which do have lifelong consequences for babies. But the drugs that pregnant women with addictions put in their blood don't …
Read more on Kennebec Journal
Cocaine and Pregnancy — Child Development Project.
More Cocaine Use And Pregnancy Information…