Drug addiction and abuse are incredibly serious disorders. Abusing illegal and prescription drugs can cause a range of physical and mental side effects that can lead to permanent health consequences and irreversible damage. When a woman is pregnant and addicted to drugs, she not only risks her own health but the health of her unborn child as well. It’s critical that women who are pregnant or wish to become pregnant can get access to treatment for drug addiction before it’s too late. The following article will explore the statistics on pregnancy and addiction, and where a pregnant woman can go for help for drug addiction.

What happens when a woman who is addicted to drugs becomes pregnant?

Anyone who is addicted to drugs needs specialized, integrated treatment methods and plans to overcome the disease. But for pregnant women, their needs are even more pronounced and nuanced.

It’s understandable that a pregnant woman would fear the repercussions of having her drug addiction exposed, but it’s safer to recover from substance use disorder for both mom and baby than it is to continue using drugs and giving birth while addicted.

Women who are addicted to drugs or alcohol and become pregnant must have access to confidential, compassionate care from their physicians. Treating addiction as a disease rather than a lifestyle choice or a character flaw can encourage pregnant women to seek help for the disorder, and improve health outcomes for both the mother and child.

Although a handful of states have enacted laws to prosecute substance abuse while pregnant as a form of child abuse, physicians groups such as The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have spoken out against these harsh, punitive laws. The majority of healthcare professionals and rehabilitation centers will provide confidential and compassionate care to pregnant women who are looking for help recovering from addiction. The majority of physicians and clinicians want to maximize their patient’s chances of having a healthy pregnancy and child.

Unfortunately, addiction to opiates and methamphetamine for pregnant women is on the rise in the U.S. Addiction rates to these drugs for pregnant women are most pronounced in rural areas, where access to treatment facilities as well as prenatal care facilities is limited.

Opioid use during pregnancy is highest in the rural Northeastern U.S. About 3% of births in this area experience complications related to maternal opiate use. Research has found that low-income, rural white women on public assistance are the most likely to abuse either methamphetamine or opiates while pregnant. Unfortunately, many addicted pregnant women are polydrug abusers who also use marijuana and tobacco, which makes complications to the infant and mother more pronounced.

Babies born to moms who use opiates while pregnant are born addicted to the drug and will go through withdrawals similar to methamphetamine-addicted babies. These infants will need to stay in a neonatal intensive care unit for an extended period until withdrawals cease. Opiate babies may also be born with defects in the spinal cord.