During pregnancy, you expose your developing baby to anything you put into your body. When you have an alcoholic beverage, a cigarette or abuse prescription or illegal drugs, your baby feels the effects. No safe amount of alcohol, tobacco or drugs exists during pregnancy. Drugs and alcohol can affect fetal development, causing major health problems.
Smoking
Pregnant women should not smoke. Smoking during pregnancy exposes your growing baby to nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor; it constricts your blood vessels, which results in less blood flow to your baby. Carbon monoxide in your blood reduces oxygen available for the fetus; this can result in placental attachment problems, stillbirth, low birth weight, bleeding or an ectopic pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome after birth.
Alcohol
The term “fetal alcohol spectrum disorders,” or FASD, describes any malformation or disease associated with alcohol use during pregnancy. FASD can include heart and other major-organ defects, behavioral problems, learning disorders, mental problems and facial abnormalities. Fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS, results from drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy and can cause mental retardation. FAS is characterized by specific facial abnormalities including small eyes and a thin upper lip with no groove between the nose and lips. Babies with FAS have malformed organs including a small brain. Drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy also increases your risk of miscarriage and pre-term delivery.
Drugs
The effect of drugs during pregnancy varies by the type of illegal drug used. Marijuana can cause slow fetal growth and premature delivery, especially in those who use it six times or more per week. Use of amphetamines during pregnancy can cause placental problems, heart defects and a cleft lip or palate. Heroin use during pregnancy can cause stillbirth and a variety of birth defects. The March of Dimes contends that in addition to using heroin, most drug users live an overall unhealthy lifestyle, which may also contribute to interrupted fetal development. Cocaine use affects the whole body. It can result in your child having a smaller brain, which leads to learning problems. Babies exposed to cocaine in the uterus can have impaired development of the urinary system. The cocaine may even cause your child to have a stroke, resulting in brain damage.
Medicines
Certain medicines, whether prescription or over-the-counter, can affect your baby's development. Prescription painkillers can become addictive and slow the growth of your child. Even over-the-counter pain relievers can be dangerous. Ibuprofen can potentially lead to miscarriage or a fetal heart defect. Thalidomide is a medication once prescribed for morning sickness, but is now linked to interfering with the growth of the fetus’ peripheral cardiovascular system and limb growth. Always do your research before taking any medication. Consult with your doctor before taking any medicine and inform your doctor that you are pregnant.
References
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs and Pregnancy; 2008
- March of Dimes: Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy
- March of Dimes: Illicit Drug Use During Pregnancy
- WomensHealth.gov: Pregnancy and Medicine
- "Scientific American"; Permeable Boundaries -- How Mothers' Meds Affect a Fetus; Annie Murphy Paul; September 2010
