Drug and Alcohol Use: Making Safe Choices
Drug and Alcohol Use: Making Safe Choices“I think my husband is going to take the laptop to the hospital.”Pregnancy is a time of excitement, planning and eager anticipation. It can also be a time filled with questionsand anxious thoughts: Am I taking any medications that could harm my baby?“If you’re thinking about starting a family, it’s best to have an appointment with your ob/gyn to go overyour medications and supplements before you actually try to get pregnant.”Women may need to take medication to manage long-term health conditions. In fact, as many as 7 in 10pregnant women take at least one prescription drug during pregnancy.“A common prescription medication that we often address before conception or when we find outsomeone is pregnant are anti-depressant, anti-anxiety medications. If you’re on a drug that’s beenaround for decades like sertraline or fluoxetine, very often, if the benefits outweigh the risks, we’ll allowthat patient and recommend the patient to stay on that medication. Some of the newer medicationswhere we don’t have as much experience or safety data, we may recommend changing.”Some prescription medicines can cause complications including: Premature birth, meaning the baby is bornbefore 37 weeks; Low birthweight. That’s when the baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Birthdefects; Learning and behavioral problems later in life; Miscarriage; Stillbirth; and sudden infant deathsyndrome, or SIDS.“For most medications, if it’s limited exposure, the risk is small. No one can tell you it’s zero, but it’susually small, and most women are going to be okay, and most babies are going to be okay.”A more serious concern is prescription drug abuse. That’s when a medication is used in a way that’s notrecommended. The most commonly abused prescription drugs are opioid pain relievers.“There is an epidemic of opioid abuse in this country, and it is climbing. It is throughout America inevery neighborhood.”Opioid painkiller abuse and addiction can cause neonatal abstinence syndrome or NAS, which means the babyis born addicted to the drug the mother has taken and goes through withdrawal after birth. These babies aremore likely to have problems breathing and feeding, and they may even have seizures.“It is turning into a huge problem and it is growing every year.”If drug addiction is a struggle for you, it’s important to confide in your primary care provider for both your sakeand your baby’s.“If a woman finds herself pregnant, and she’s dealing with an addiction, the best thing to do is confrontit. Make sure you disclose that to your healthcare provider so we can point you in the right directionand get you the help that you need.”Your provider can help you safely stop or get alternative treatment. If you don’t feel you’re getting the supportyou need, ask for a referral. Keep in mind that stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms and evenincrease the risk of miscarriage.“We’re there to help women and we’re not going to use that against women.”This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.PRG51375B EN DrugAndAlcoholUseMakingSafeChoices.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2Drug and Alcohol Use: Making Safe ChoicesIllegal, illicit or street drugs are also harmful to you and your baby. These drugs include: Cocaine; Ecstasy,methamphetamine and other so-called club drugs; Prescription drugs that are abused or are not prescribed forthe person taking them; Heroin; and Marijuana. Some women assume marijuana is safe in pregnancy since it’sbeen approved for medical and recreational use in some states.“I’ve had patients tell me they’ve used it because they are nauseated in the first trimester. You’redealing with a fetus that is developing and growing, and just as you don’t let children smoke cigarettesor drink alcohol because it can affect the teenage brain, you wouldn’t do that to an even morevulnerable brain.”That’s why cigarette smoking and alcohol use should also be avoided in pregnancy.“It’s very common for a woman to come to us for their first appointment when they find out they’repregnant and say, ‘You know, I was at a party last weekend or a month ago and I was drinking, is thatokay?’ And it usually is okay. We have to go forward. We can’t go back and change the past, but alimited exposure to alcohol is more than likely not going to cause problems with a pregnancy.”Binge drinking and heavy alcohol use during pregnancy can cause abnormal fetal development and fetalalcohol syndrome or FAS, which is a condition characterized by mental and physical defects. FAS is the mostcommon preventable form of mental delay in the U.S.“Once the baby is delivered and the pediatricians are dealing with it, it’s already done, you can’t takethat back. There are no do overs.”It’s never too late to stop abusing alcohol or drugs during pregnancy. Your care provider, hospital or clinic cangive support and provide you with the help you need.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.PRG51375B EN DrugAndAlcoholUseMakingSafeChoices.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
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